Dr. Greg Shapley is an Australian cross-media, composer, curator and academic. His work Phoenix is part of a series titled ‘Non-representational Self-Portraits’. The description of the artwork on the Saatchi Art website states that the work has:

…literally, been extracted from an image of the artist’s face using an intriguing process developed over time by Dr Shapley. This is a mechanical photographic process, yet this image renders up a a myriad of organic, idiosyncratic detail more akin to illustration or design.

Saatchi Art

Unfortunately there is no more information about the process and little more about Dr. Shapley so it is difficult to understand how the image was created, however, I think that the phrase ‘literally extracted’ in the dscription is probably significant.

I’m not sure whether I like the photograph or not, it is intriguing to try and make sense of the shapes to see if it is possible to find some recognisable elements and the bold colours are certainly eye-catching. What I think is most interesting about the work is that it is a photographic self-portait and it demonstrates how far it is possible to stretch the idea of a non-figurative portrait or self-portrait.

Sources

Shapley, G. (s.d.) Phoenix. 47.2’ x 47.2’. At: https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Photography-Phoenix-from-the-Non-representational-Self-Portraits-series-Limited-Edition-1-of-20/748129/3401573/view (Accessed 15/06/2020).