'Portrait of the artist as a somewhat anxious but in control man eating an icecream' puts things into perspective. Women eating ice cream are frequently used in our lavish visual culture. Woestenborghs plays with that cliché here and also depicts himself in this pose in which we expect young girls rather than middle-aged artists. By adding 'anxious' and 'in control', he dares to make a fool of himself. At the same time, he counters any opposition that can be expected in our present time, by also placing himself in similar positions as his models.