This exhibition is titled Dichotomy, as the works are divided into two opposing and equal parts - one series of natural "survivors" or icons, and another of man-made monuments that don't have quite the same enduring qualities. The Eternal series consists of natural landmarks - landforms, rocks or trees that have stood the test of time. These are some of my favourite painting subjects, they are sentinels, primordial and timeless. I see them as spiritual guardians, witness to what has been , reminding us of our past, and that no matter how Man tries to dominate and control the environment, Nature will always prevail.
The Ephemeral series are another of my favourite painting subjects - I love the detail in the crumbling woodwork, the peeling paint, and the layers that reveal habitation and use. They are still standing, but are disused, dilapidated, and often forgotten. This is the dichotomy: the man-made in contrast with the natural; the monumental and abiding contrasting with the temporal and transitory - these on their way to collapse and decay, leaving little reminder of our attempts at establishing our presence. |
