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.