From the first time I saw Carlos Acosta dance I was captivated. He has been the subject of many portraits in all sorts of mediums, most of which focus on his extraordinary physique. I wanted to portray him as a man, as opposed to a dancer. In his recent autobiography there is a photo taken of him at the age of seven, in his homeland of Cuba. It shows a young boy full of potential and determination. I wanted to recreate this image of the boy, grown up, having achieved all that he has against incredible odds. I approached Carlos through mutual friends (one of whom is stage manager at the Royal Opera House) and asked if he could remember having the photo taken and whether he would be able to re-construct his expression with 27 years of hindsight. He remembered having the first photo ever taken of him with great clarity, thus the idea and the portrait were materialised in the style of the original photo. 

This text formed part of Fowler’s application to the BP Portrait Prize. The work, originally commissioned by television producer Dean Hargrove, was short-listed and subsequently exhibited at The National Portrait Gallery, London.