Which Way Is Up Acrylic

Which Way Is Up
Acrylic on canvas, 80 × 40 cm
Which Way Is Up is a bold, playful exploration of perspective and perception. Composed of vividly coloured, stylised faces stacked and mirrored along a vertical axis, the painting is designed to be displayed in four different orientations, with no single viewpoint taking priority. Each rotation reveals new relationships between the figures, shifting expressions and altering the emotional tone of the work.
Strong black outlines and saturated blues, yellows, purples, and reds give the piece an energetic, almost totemic presence. The repeated eyes, lips, and directional arrows suggest cycles of looking, thinking, and re-orientation, inviting viewers to question how meaning changes depending on where we stand—or how we look.
Balancing abstraction with figurative elements, this work sits comfortably within contemporary expressionist and playful surreal traditions. Which Way Is Up is an engaging statement piece that rewards curiosity and interaction, encouraging viewers to decide for themselves which way feels right.