In this pair of paintings, Connie Petrillo uses elements of Greek art and philosophy, coupled with images of contemporary popular culture, to produce Portrait of a Boy I & II. Petrillo creates a sense a narrative through the arrangement of the figures, however the nature of these events and exchanges are ambiguous. The artwork’s two panels sit in high contrast to one another. One depicts three figures in a bright lit space hinting at isolation and ageing. While the other work depicts several figures engaging with a dark, candle lit street space with a door half open revealing an ominous orange glow.

This artwork continues the recurring thread in Petrillo’s practice of the depiction of children. Many of her works question the way in which children are represented in contemporary society and this artwork takes an ambiguous approach to these ideas central to her practice.

Winner of the 2005 Invitation Art Prize