systems and threats series (2023)
Created during my studies at Turps Art School in 2023, this collection of oil and acrylic panels functions as a direct response to global geopolitical tensions, specifically the ongoing war in Ukraine and the paranoia of international espionage.
The process of making these works revealed an unsettling resemblance between the mechanics of modern warfare and the structure of a game. To reflect this, the work consciously departs from my earlier atmospheric paintings, adopting a flatter, stylised aesthetic heavily influenced by the visual language of 80s and 90s video games. By drawing on earlier wartime art movements such as Futurism and Constructivism, this heavily graphic, naïve depiction explores the systemic nature of violence and control, serving as a critique of how war is often abstracted into a strategic game by decision-makers from a distance.
the naïve nature of war
The subject of the war in Ukraine holds profound personal and historical weight for me as the grandchild of Ukrainian refugees, witnessing current generations endure struggles parallel to those of the Second World War. These panels serve as a reminder of the ongoing human reality beneath political strategy.
Can’t win (2023) Oil and acrylic on wood 32 x 25 cm
Latent Peril (2023) Oil and acrylic on wood 32 x 29 cm
Unnecessary Tragedy (2023) Oil and acrylic on wood 32 x 29 cm
The Damned (2023) Oil and acrylic on wood 20 x 25 cm
exhibition documentation
Artist talk, The Entranced Essence, RuptureXIBIT Gallery, London, 2024.
Installation view, The Entranced Essence, RuptureXIBIT Gallery, London, 2024.
unknown threats
Prompted by the global paranoia surrounding international airspace and surveillance balloons in early 2023, these panels reduce the anxiety of international conflict into stark, simplified emblems.
Unknown Threat I (2023) Oil on wood 20 x 20 cm
Unknown Threat II (2023) Oil on wood 25 x 20 cm
Unknown Threat III (2023) Oil on wood 20 x 23 cm Private Collection