This work symbolises the destroyed Buddhas of Bamiyan. These statues had faced each other for hundreds of years in a valley in Afghanistan until they were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. This act of destruction shattered not just the physical forms, but also the aura of awe and the timeless serenity engendered by these weathered figures. In this work I try to represent the enduring relationship between the two statues.
The heads are made from a latex mold made from a metal Cambodian Buddha head. The fact that the work is made from plaster resonates with the construction of the Bamiyan Buddhas, where plaster coated ropes were used to create the effect of draped robes. The objects have been painted with a sepia acrylic and varnished with a wood varnish.
