'Mono no Aware' Series - Number 1 Painting

‘Mono no aware’ is a Japanese term that has no direct English translation, but it can be used to describe an ‘empathy towards impermanence’. The re-occurring image of the cloud in my work is a meaningful signifier of an ongoing interest in an aesthetic sensitivity towards the ephemeral. We can sometimes be fortunate enough to witness the sight of a perfectly placed cloud, suspended in the sky, only to look back and find that the vapours have dissolved into nothingness. Just as the blossom falls to the ground, and the snow melts, the quiet allure of the cloud can heighten our awareness of fragility. With this melancholic sensibility, also comes an appreciation of witnessing such a fleeting, temporal occurrence. The layering of resin and oil paint is used in an attempt to solidify something transient and without mass – encasing it in the surface. In striving to encase the painted cloud in such a literal manner, it draws attention to the impossibility of doing so in reality. In reality, the clouds themselves will perish, but it is the residue and memory of such impermanence that is important. It is our empathic response that endures. This painting is part of a series that I created earlier this year in response to an exhibition theme. The painting is built up in layers of thin oil paint and resin layers. Each painting takes a considerable time to create, due to the drying times of the material. The two paintings I am submitting have varying layers of resin and paint. They are supported by a Tulip wood sub-frame and MDF panel. This has been left exposed and unframed in order for the resin layers to be seen. The exposed resin layers allow for light to pass through the painting layers, accentuating the colours of the paint. Fixings for hanging can be provided where necessary. Care of resin works: - Make sure the surface is cleaned with a soft, lint free cloth or micro-fibre cloth. - Make sure no sharp implement or hard edge contacts the surface. - The wooden support is sealed, but try not to expose the painting to too much temperature or moisture change.