Somewhere in the shadows
This painting originated from a random photo I took as I was walking somewhere round London. I can’t recall what day it was and where I was going or even the time of day. It must have been sunny or else there would not have been any shadows. In fact I think it was the shadows that attracted me – the environment was very ordinary – a pathway in an urban street, weeds and grass growing against a ramshackle fence. All completely forgettable. However the shadows had a life of their own which I wanted to explore.
I created a triptych, deliberately repeating elements within the image, as if walking step by step. The contrast of the light and dark attracted me. That which is ethereal and only an illusion looks real and menacing; that which exists is washed out by the sun. I experiment with reversing the imagery and mirroring it against each other. I play with the space and movement within the image – the directional pull of the shadow against the pathway. To act as an interruption against this I insert another version of the image, focusing on a contrasting pattern against that of the pavement stones.
The colour palette is kept quiet and soft. The sparse plantation against the fence suggests to me the delicacy of Oriental gardens and courtyards. I am trying to evoke the idea of an area one passes through every day without really looking, but is there in the background, soaking into the subconscious, and triggering half formed thoughts and dreams.
