Ceramic Paintings

In this series of clay paintings and mirrors entitled ‘What is There?’ subjective perception is explored through the themes of language, perception and other means through which reality is expressed, experienced and understood. The overlapping areas of cutting edge quantum physics and ontological philosophy with their mutual quest to understand our existence are combined with classical portraits.

The ‘paintings’ invite the viewer to interact between subject, perception and projection by artist, and perception by audience. One of the portraits is of a murderer, perhaps altering views and judgements made of all the works as the mind seeks to identify this person. Victorian flower symbolism is used to enrich the projection aspect of the collection - the messages included are perceived differently according to the knowledge and understanding of the viewer.

19th century glass beads from necklaces are melted into some of the pieces, as a metaphor for the transient and fragmented nature of Truth, and an era which typifies the accelerated search for knowledge and understanding of the world through science.

Mirrors and pictures are the only means by which we can see our own face; in most cases we see others more frequently than ourselves. In some Eastern philosophy, it is said that due to our subjectivity in relation to the world around us, we are only able to perceive that which is within us. The understanding gained through sensory information is filtered through past experiences, culture and interpretation. The mirrors included in the ‘What is There?’ collection, are a metaphor for this philosophy and are distorted to challenge notions our minds hold of what is expected when we look into a mirror.