BloodStar II (2020) Print

BloodStar (2020), is a work built using wood, plaster, spray paint and varnish. The work depicts a star, with a blood red colour. The work can be seen as a symbol of bloodshed, struggle, and hope, for the individual, in a period of upheaval in the world today. The recent events of 2020, such as the global pandemic, police riots in the United States and Hong Kong, are signs of chaos plaguing the world today. The role of the individual in late capitalist society is slowly diminishing, with the unjust killing of George Floyd, arrest of Jimmy Lai, Julian Assange trials, and citizens put under lockdown. The fight for basic human rights, liberty, and solidarity, has inspired the use of a star, symbolizing a universal solidarity in all of global society, to survive during a time of turmoil and darkness, to emerge out of the crisis, better than before. Many individuals have sacrificed their lives in the hope for this better future, from frontline healthcare workers, to protesters, all wishing for this vision. The star is part of this message, to unite and guide society forward, through those who have made the sacrifice ; thus the use of deep red hue colour . The work is part of the artist (Keane) , series of The Great Restoration project, to see the shifting balance of power, changing rules in the realm of the arts, and to rebuild society and the art community, as the artist believes that art is an expression of the individual, and the artist. The artist's purpose in society is to be a star,guiding journeymen, to a promised, prosperous future. The artist was also inspired by the idea of universality and outer space, as all of us look up to the sky, wishing for good things that we will experience.