In Caravaggio’s ‘David and Goliath’ (1610) the hero presents the viewer with the screaming head of Goliath; David remains stoically calm despite the obvious magnitude of his heroism. Viewed from today the image, whilst great, seems ludicrous in the depth of its theatricality.

I restaged the image, performing a series of dramatic poses and gestures which similarly looked hold out a hand as if presenting a victors trophy to the audience. These performances lead to a series of prints.

The emptiness of the hand exposes the figures dramatic self importance to ridicule. His heroic nudity if castrated by his wearing of socks and boxers. Is there anything more pathetic than socks and boxers? The regal crimson and red is merely meant to provide another clash between the figures ideal self image as a hero and the reality of his ineptitude.