Art From London Markets, a-n feature

She is walking slowly into the Leith…

oil indigo and sugar on canvass, 1m  x 1m, work in progress

So I am working on these pieces building up layers of pigment and darkness dealing with stories from the trade in indigo and sugar and in particular how it was bound up with slavery and forced labour. I am working at making beautiful images to draw you into disturbing stories.  The grief of these stories have an echo, in Padma’s life.  She is old enough to have been born and schooled in Colonial times. And shadowing how imperial stories are cleaned up, to present shiny romantic images for consumer culture her memory is being washed away by her dementia.  She is walking so slowly into the River Leith without a boatman to take her quickly across.  And she does look back searching, but there is only one direction to go; deeper, she cannot return.

Resistance
oil indigo and sugar on canvas 1mx1m
work in progress

I owe a debt to Turner

Last of the 10
oil indigo sugar on canvas 1mx1m

work in progress,

Oh Louder, Olaudah1, Olaudah2, Olaudah3

oil, indigo on boards work in progress
And I find myself exploring voices dead or fading, important to remember.

I am also working on some 3D pieces called Mr Equiano’s Scales, and Indigo Rebellion.

Last few days of the Plastic Propaganda exhibition at Devon House: Open until the 15th May 4pm.

And all this work has left me little time for getting to the market.