Existential

Presented in Sydney, 2022.

The natural world can absorb the weight of internal turmoil – transforming mind weeds into flowers. Much like the way an artist takes raw instincts and powerful emotion and turns them into creations, nature continually transforms itself and provides space to declutter the mind in a subliminal way. The growth and re-manifestation of the landscape provides an ideal to existence, without the unnecessary noise of the modern world. The desire to interpret this through mark-making and form stems from a constant awareness of humanity and its tendency to dismantle itself and the environment around us.

Similarly, nature and painting can only be imperfect. The human condition to seek perfection is a continual mistake in practice. Like meditation, to practice is to leave no trace of yourself, to burn yourself completely, like a good bonfire. The practice must not lose the spirit of repetition otherwise it will become difficult to maintain. By continuing to connect with nature a meditative void is created for practice to grow, transcend, and transform organically – an empty space for intuitive painting, a place to interpret existence.