acrylic on canvas

31.25” W x 47” H

2026

“Muse” is a piece shaped directly by the idea its title suggests. It presents a figure that feels almost sculptural - physically idealized, composed, and posed with a sense of strength and control. Seated and grounded, the figure carries a quiet authority that is meant to draw attention and hold it.

The dark background reinforces this presence, adding a sense of weight and intensity. It creates a more masculine, moody atmosphere that amplifies the figure’s posture and sense of power. On the surface, the work reflects a familiar aspiration - an image of physical perfection, confidence, and self-assurance that many gay men, myself included, have felt pulled toward at some point.

The white box obscuring the face interrupts that ideal. It acts as a mask, raising questions about what control really means. Is it about how we are seen, or about what remains hidden? Is it rooted in internal confidence, or shaped by external validation?

For me, this piece sits in that tension. It reflects the pressure to embody a certain image, while questioning who that image is really for - and what gets lost in the process of maintaining it.

$2,340.00