Becoming our ‘visual skin’

Our latest Diary entry comes from London-based writer Issey Scott, who explores the evolving nature of painterly portraiture in the digital age. In her piece, Scott considers how the ever-present "black mirror" of our digital devices shapes our self-image. Focusing on the work of three painters—Sang Woo Kim, Moka Lee, and Celia Hempton—she delves into the interplay between skin and pigment, the tension between stillness and movement, and how the act of holding or withholding a gaze can speak volumes about power.