TRANSFORMATION

Transformation has been on my mind for some time.  In 2014 I started work on a series exploring the concept of transformation. This body of work is my visual symbol for life unfolding, whether it is the individual life story of any one person, the physical evolution of life on Earth or the development of human society and culture.  

I use clear bands of primary colours to represent the human baby or young child; pure, fresh, vibrant and full of life energy. My feeling is that in childhood the rules like the colours appear clear and simple: events are experienced very directly through the senses and without any mental filters. Life feels fresh and new, creating a strong impression, like the impact of the primary colours on the senses. 

As the human child grows and develops it is influenced in many ways: by family, community, nationality, social culture, religious or political ideologies.  The child becomes involved in events, encounters challenges and has positive or negative life experiences. These external influences are formative, and the child internalises his or her own personal responses. Moving into adulthood and advancing through life, brings increased complexity and uncertainty.  Many life experiences and unfamiliar situations challenge cherished beliefs and change felt experience. Gradually over time, the child becomes transformed into a very different being.  In each work the primary colours become gradually mixed into complex patterns of other colours. This is my metaphor for the transformational effect of the life journey, which changes the individual, whose sub change society, and in turn this changed society influences the perceptions of future generations.  

The painting on the right is TRANSFORMATION 4.  It expresses my ideas discussed above.  The painting on the left is SON OF THE SUN (2014).  The sun is the source of life and energy on Earth. Son of the Sun represents human creativity. I use the flat bands of primary colours to represent the purity of what we are born with. This is contrasted with the range of faces emerging from the complexity of swirling colours  that represent the world we have made for ourselves. This is a very unequal world where many people experience injustice, inhumanity, persecution, poverty, suffering and loss.  We create our own reality and we have the power to transform it and make it a better place for everyone - if we want to...