This series was created through April 2020 during the initial weeks of the Covid-19 lockdown. The artist reflects on his return to London from Capitola Village, CA, over a six month period from October 2019 to March 2020 — one of the darkest but most enlightening periods so far in the artist’s adult life.
Each painting explores the experiences and clear visualisations of Planes of Existence within Space Time; how everything appears flat, constructed through infinite Layers of Separation; within a web which bends back on itself. The artist examines the sudden formation of fractures within the psyche and continues to express the process of repair through friendship. Specifically the idea of a blessing, communicated by poet David Whyte in his talk A Great Invitation: The Path of Risk and Revelation. How the arrival of a blessing is an invitation to join the story again; to open up to powers that are larger than yourself. And how one can be healed out of imprisonment by accepting a blessing. A friend who is a constant blessing in and of themselves; helping in visible and invisible ways; who is able to walk with you, as a companion, even if they are on the other side of the World.
This series was inspired by the artist’s friend and coach Annie Sakamoto who remains a constant blessing through Space Time.
Outside influences have been provided by the artist Kader Attia’s exhibition The Museum of Emotion and Dorothea Tanning’s exhibition at Tate Modern, both which took place in London 2019; as well as topics discussed by writer and speaker Alan Watts, Donald Hoffman author of ‘The Case Against Reality’ and the aforementioned poet David Whyte. All works were created while listening to Chaconne in D Minor by J. S. Bach; played by Russian pianist Evgeny Kissin.
Artwork is based on images from a high end fashion magazine, created in watercolor, using a limited palette. Specifically colours used to mix Black — even in the darkest hour there is always colour hidden, waiting for the perfect moment to emerge out of the shadows. Influenced by the paintings of Andre Lhote, the artist’s focus was to further develop techniques in colour harmony taught to him by his contemporary and dear friend Rebecca Boyd Allen during his stay in London during the Spring of 2019.
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