BJPsych International

‘Inner Thoughts’ 2017, Oil on Canvas, by Joshua Miels

Joshua Miels Solo Exhibition Inner Thoughts is the continual exploration of the emotional state of mind that individuals attempt to shield from society, and how a face is often a façade. For one to truly understand what someone is going through can prove to be a diffi cult task. When we look at someone we believe we can read their inner emotions. A face can express an array of feelings from happiness to sadness - we can appear composed in the toughest of situations if we wear the right mask.

People give false fronts, to give the illusion that they are fine. This is particularly true with males. Men are still being asked to live up to old fashioned expectations – be strong, be brave, be protective. Joshua Miles looks to challenge this assumption. Through his portraits, he aims to express the ambiguity of physical emotion by limiting what feelings his subjects portray. These large-scale paintings of males, most of whom he knows personally appear somewhat nonchalant. Unable to immediately relate wit direct human emotions, viewers look past what they see at face-value, prompting people to question the real individual.