Now That You've Gone and Come Back

<p>Inspired by finding and reconnecting with his birth mother queer Northern-Irish artist Jonathan David Smyth's latest monograph brings together a range of mixed media and text including a series of nude self-portraits created predominantly during the 2020 lockdown.</p><p><br></p><p>Before re-meeting my biological mother I'd never encountered a direct physical resemblance between me and another person explains Smyth. After we met I found it nearly impossible to not see her face when I looked at myself in the mirror. This led me to think about the idea of family in its many configurations; how other people can mentor us or deter us and how shared circumstances and stories can affect and shape us as individuals.</p><p><br></p><p><em>Now That You've Gone and Come Back</em> features 20 nude self-portraits 20 handwritten pieces three original poems and a personal essay by the artist.</p>