The works in this series are among the most personal and deeply psychological in the artist's cannon. They are scenes and people from his life, as well as himself. The deep, earthy hues are juxtaposed with vibrant stripes of colour (evident in a lot of his works) and the paint, heavily applied, gives each scene a visceral quality. The condensation running down the walls, the grime on the floor, the dirt, the bags under the eyes, the deep casting shadows, all part of what appears to be a simple image but through months and months of work, layer after layer of paint, resonate deeper. The characters are in the midst of their most turbulent or rewarding moments of their lives. It is shown on their flesh, which tell us the story of their life. The artist took (and continues to take inspiration) from the profoundly personal photographs of Nan Goldin, the shapes and twisted forms of the dancers from productions by Pina Bausch. These are his stories and those of people who touched his life.