Human Jam
Human Jam is a long-running series of portraits exploring the stories hidden within everyday life.
For one entire year, vic painted full length portraits of everyday people, real people that he saw out and about, wherever he was, from London to Malaysia, Italy to Birmingham. 365 portraits.
Alongside, vic wrote an imagined story for each person. Who they might be, what they might have done. Painted in acrylic paint on repurposed cardboard. The cardboard represents our outer packaging, what people see without knowing what or who that person really is.
365 Portraits. 365 Stories.
A Love Story of Life
I have always had a fascination for people and their stories, most of my work has been created with a story in mind. This huge body of work, Human Jam, is a portrait a day of real people inspired artworks that I see out and about. In the street, the supermarket, traveling, anywhere! Thats 365 portraits, everyday for a year.
We never know the person, the stranger, that we pass, or sit beside on a bus, or talk to in a shop. But we live in such close proximity. Every person has a lifetime of stories to tell, but they rarely are told. Every person I paint has a story.
Each portrait is painted to repurposed cardboard. Like cardboard, we are recycled and replaced, we have a purpose in life. Our packaging does not define us, its whats inside that does. Our thoughts, feelings, life, work, family.
On most of the portraits I am writing a story, a mini novel to go with each. All of them are made up, pure imagination, but I want you to think and look at that stranger you are queuing behind or standing next to on the tube, without judging them. They could be the person that cures cancer or won a BAFTA. Or has lost someone, or saved lives. They could be in turmoil or overjoyed, be a mob boss or the writer of your favorite song.
Who knows, but them.
Observing and Sketching
Selected Portraits
Artwork Details
Human Jam
Year: 2024
Medium: Acrylic on repurposed cardboard
Series: 365 portraits
