Tough Guy

The performance of strength a costume.

Title: Tough Guy
Size: 36x45
Edition: Limited – 1 of 5
Collection: Bunker
Year: 2025
Process: Self Portrait, Photography, Digital Compositing

Materials: Archival dye sublimation on chromaluxe aluminum
Finish: High gloss, reflective finish
Mount: Inset block with hanging wire (ready to hang)
Authenticated: Engraved hand signature with metal certificate of authenticity

Artist Statement
This piece began with the idea of toughness as performance, rehearsing a posture long before we feel it. The athletic uniform becomes a costume, a borrowed skin meant to signal resilience, even when the body beneath it is unsure. The stance is firm, but the expression reveals the thin line between acting strong and wanting to be. “TOUGH GUY” becomes both a label and a question, hovering between irony and longing. The work stops at that tension – the quiet truth of strength that hasn’t yet decided what it is.

Care
Clean with a soft, dry microfiber cloth. Avoid chemicals and abrasives.

Shipping & Production
Shipping Included (U.S.). International shipping available; rates calculated at checkout. Fully insured, professionally packaged. Production time: 8–12 business days