Painting in acrylics on canvas by Vanessa Playford from 2026.

“Forum” evokes the kinetic pace and energy of the Roman forum, with at its centre the gladiator, wearing the large, heavy-metal helmet called galea that completely covered the head, face and throat.

These helmets were vital pieces of defensive gear. They protected fighters from lethal strikes while keeping the matches dramatic and intense. 

dimensions (incl. frame)
height: 49cm
width: 38.5cm
depth: 3.5cm
weight: 890g

canvas
height: 45.5cm
width: 36.5cm

Painting.
Acrylics on canvas.
Pine box frame.
Made in Australia.

See our full selection of work by Vanessa Playford.

Vanessa Playford lives and works in Sydney, Australia. She is a self proclaimed "outsider artist" and has pursed her own journey into abstraction to investigate the many forms of emotion and space within the human condition.

The tension between meditative observation and dynamic energy is offered through a myriad of colours, tones, and paint applications, from wispy flickers to determined impasto strokes.

Read more about Vanessa Playford.