Lotus seed heads

‘World in a box’ paintings

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In 2010 I undertook a painting project to produce a series of images. The images were based on representation of organic materials (e.g., dried lotus seed heads, decaying pomegranates, a dried sea dragon and a Nautilus shell). Of these, the lotus seed heads and pomegranates also symbolise the Silk Road, as these items were exchanged between China and Europe via the Silk Road).

Many of these images were set in or on top of a box, which relates to the traditional staging of unusual objects in a diorama setting in museums. Museums were once the key way for people to experience new information. However the box used was actually an iPad box, adding in the symbolism of the ubiquitous nature of information availability- anywhere, anytime via mobile devices such as the iPhone and iPad. Curiously, Silk Road images are now available 24 x 7 via an online collaborative web site called ‘The International Dunhuang Project: The Silk Road Online’.

The works were produced on small canvas boards, wooden panels and small canvases, and made using oil paint and medium number one.

 

 

Sculpture project-Natural forms in conversation

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This work consists of 12 objects cast from natural forms (2 sizes of lotus seed heads and a small nautilus shell). Originally conceived as a work based on Ai Wei Wei’s Circle of Friends/Zodiac Heads (showing the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac calendar), it evolved into a conversation between 3 sets of natural forms once the similarity of a lotus seed head to a hearing trumpet was noticed. The large lotus seed heads are exuberant and loud, the medium sized seed heads are chattering softly, and the downcast nautilus shells are silent. Together the objects form a conversation.

These objects (natural forms and bases) are made from plaster. The lotus seed heads and nautilus shells are cast from silicon molds, made from the original objects. The objects have been painted with a sepia acrylic and varnished with a wood varnish.