One of the key elements of a good portrait is capturing a recognisable likeness of its subject. But how do we recognise faces? Science has shown that the brain recognizes faces within milliseconds based in order on the eyes, mouth, and nose. The brain ties these together and makes predictions about other parts of the face. Only when mismatches occur between the prediction and the visual evidence do higher areas of the brain become involved to interpret the discrepancy. When you view this self-portrait you can almost feel your brain engaging those higher functions as it struggles to comprehend what the eyes see. This painting was a finalist in the 2016 Black Swan Prize for Portraiture and exhibited at the Art Gallery of Western Australia.