PURE ASPIRATION

2010, Oil on Italian Linen, 152 x 152cm

All life on earth is dependent upon water, and rainbows - with their obvious link to rain, are symbolic of regrowth and replenishment. This idea evolved via fable and popular mythology to represent an elusive bridge to another, better place - as encapsulated by Arlen & Harburg in the Wizard of Oz classic “Somewhere over the Rainbow,” which gave hope to a world still reeling from the Great Depression and embroiled in early stages of the Second World War. 

It is the nature of the human condition to aspire for a better life, either for one’s self or for one’s family. Such aspiration drove the great migrations throughout history, where people left homeland, family and all familiar surroundings for the prospect of a better life in some distant land. 

The fulfilment of these aspirations require travellers to take with them relics of their past lives. Yet while their belongings are transported in a variety of vessels, unknowingly, their most valuable possessions are their memories, skills, cultures and above all, aspirations. 

Pure is a series that explores humanity in an unconventional way. Ostensibly just cloudy skies, in fact the backgrounds exist to set the mood against which the foreground drama unfolds. The titles alert the viewer to the fact that they are not witnessing merely a scene, but that each is a metaphor for a particular personality characteristic. The narrative departs unexpectedly with the combination of title and image, exposing further meanings and triggering the opening chapters to an endless array of stories the viewer is invited to create.