Crown Mask Painting

The works in this series are the result of my long-term interest in the still life genre as a space in which to explore themes of impermanence. I aimed to create a fresh and distinct visual language by combining imagined imagery with rich traditions in art history, including ‘vanitas’ painting and Japanese aesthetics. I developed a new technique for these works: large areas were completed in a single quick pass in translucent paint wiped on with a rag, to freeze the movement of the hand on the canvas. The fragility of life was brought to the forefront of my mind by the pandemic. However, the making of these paintings has served as a reminder to me that awareness of transience is no cause for nihilistic despair, but rather a wake-up call to bring vitality and appreciation into the present moment. The painting is on a 4cm deep professional canvas and is signed and dated on the reverse.