Based on a study from 2021, Ghosted II is an exploration of the unique feeling of being ghosted. An abrupt end without satisfactory explanation. This artwork delves into the emotional dichotomy of intimately knowing someone and then facing their sudden absence.

The painting captures the essence of this transition, from connection to loss. The complex doodle pattern behind the anonymous figure is a distant memory of a complex relationship and can represent either party in the divide. With their back to the viewer, they now look forward into a void that may look saturated in colour at first but is drained of the intricacy of what has been left behind.

This painting is an experiment with the Exactly.ai x Gaz Lawrence 2023 text-to-image model. The model was trained on Gaz’s artwork, including the 2021 study for this painting. Using natural language, the final rückenfigur composition was developed and then reinterpreted on canvas by hand using oil and acrylic paint to draw the viewer into the feeling of isolation and longing.