architectures of division series (2023-2024)

Rooted in the architectural geometry of Ancient Rome, this body of work draws direct visual inspiration from Third-Style frescoes, Severan panel walls, and the strict checkerboard borders of paradeisos paintings. However, what began as an exploration of antiquity evolved into a stark commentary on the cyclical nature of human conflict and the physical barriers we construct.

Pieces such as The Fence draw parallels between the territorial lines of ancient empires and contemporary geopolitical crises. Rooted in reflections on the Middle East, the work focuses on the tragic, cyclical nature of war and the universal human cost of conflict. It examines the profound duality of a border wall: an architectural structure that functions simultaneously as a mechanism of safety for those on one side, and a prison for those on the other.

This exploration of history extends into the physical materials of the paintings. In Surrender, raw sugar is embedded directly into the paint, physically binding the artwork to ancient and complex histories of global trade, commodity, and human cost.

Developed initially for the 2023 joint exhibition Roman Boudoir (Amata Benedict, London), the conceptual framework of this series later expanded into works exhibited in the 2024 group show TRIBUTE: to our future silicone overloards (Peckham Safehouse).