Marco Pennacchia
Brushstrokes of identity - self portrait | 2025 | oil on canvas | 95 x 70cm
Sunshine Coast National Art Prize 2026 - Finalist
Image courtesy of artist.
Marco Pennacchia
VIC
Brushstrokes of identity - self portrait
2025
Oil on canvas
95 x 70cm
Brushstrokes of identity explores the complex relationship between identity, vulnerability, and self-perception. In this self-portrait, the figure is entirely wrapped in patterned fabric, becoming both concealed and revealed at once. The absence of visible facial features shifts the focus beyond individual identity, inviting the viewer to reflect on the universal experience of hiding, protecting, and continually reshaping the self.
The fabric, a recurring element throughout my practice, symbolises memory, heritage, and emotional layers we carry. It functions as both armour and veil, expressing the tension between what is hidden and what is disclosed.
The paintbrush, held gently in the figure’s hand, becomes the only direct clue to identity, suggesting that artistic practice itself can be a means of self-definition.
Through realism, rich texture, and controlled light, I aim to create works that invite quiet contemplation. Brushstrokes of Identity reflects on belonging, transformation, and the ways our sense of self is shaped by memory, lived experience, and creative expression.