Man-up depicts a group of men gathered in a traditional pub, a setting strongly associated with familiar ideas of masculinity. At its centre, however, an isolated figure and his direct gaze suggest an emotional life that sits uneasily within those expectations.
The painting questions the pressure on men to suppress vulnerability and conform to rigid masculine roles, placing emotional uncertainty within a recognisably social and traditionally male environment.
Oil on canvas, 2021
215 × 183 cm
Unframed
Sold — private collection.