This portrait of Tony Carden, HIV/AIDS activist and lobbyist, by Ana Wojak 1991 is titled Acacius (Stigmata). It is an oil and gold leaf on cedar panel work. It measures 121 cm high, 103 cm wide and protrudes 4 cm off the wall.

Three vertically divided panels make up the painting’s textured wooden surface. The wooden surface is worn, with many dents and old nail holes. Squares of gold leaf have been applied to cover the wood. Overall, the gold leaf is worn and scratched.

A line of vibrant electric blue paint outlines Carden’s figure and hands. This same bold blue also forms a thick border around the uneven outer edge of the artwork. The piece has rounded corners as though the surface of a small old coffee table has been repurposed.

A white-clad Tony Carden stands out against the gold background. His short blond hair is swept over his head to the right. Underneath dark brows his expression is neutral. He is depicted from the hips up, facing front on with his arms at his sides. Either side of his body he holds his hands out, fingers together, palms parallel to the bottom of the frame.

Carden’s stance, combined with the plain white long-sleeved garment he is wearing contrasts starkly with the gold background. A halo-like thin blue line encircles Carden’s head and within its circumference the gold-textured background is slightly smudged and darker than elsewhere.

A small red maker’s mark of the artist’s initials and some script text sits to the left of Carden’s head.

Audio description written and voiced by Kate Matthews