SOUL SEARCHING

Are we fragile?

Soul Searching, 2021
Oil paint, acrylic, carbon fibre and aluminium
Unique work
H75 x W66 x D7cm (portrait)
H140 x W110 x D40cm (frame and niche)
© Mark Humphrey

“SOUL SEARCHING IS A SELF-PORTRAIT USING INTERCONNECTED FLESH-TONE THREADS, ‘PAINTED ON AIR’. ALTHOUGH THE PORTRAIT APPEARS FRAGILE, ITS WEB-LIKE CONSTRUCTION IS SURPRISINGLY STRONG, ECHOING THE RESILIENCE OF A SPIDER’S WEB. SET WITHIN AN ORNATE OLD MASTER FRAME AND SUSPENDED BEFORE A DARK NICHE, TWO WORLDS COLLIDE – THE FAMILIAR PERMANENCE OF TRADITION AGAINST A CONTEMPORARY IMAGE WITH NO SOLID SURFACE.

THE DARK SPACE BEHIND THE PORTRAIT SUGGESTS ANOTHER WORLD BEYOND WHAT WE CAN SEE, WHILE THE HEAD REMAINS SUSPENDED BETWEEN LIGHT AND SHADOW, PRESENCE AND ABSENCE. THE PORTRAIT BECOMES A SEARCH BENEATH THE SURFACE – BEYOND PHYSICAL APPEARANCE, BEYOND WHAT IS ‘SKIN DEEP’.

WHEN SITUATIONS GET TOUGH, WE CAN DIG DEEPER, REMAIN FOCUSED AND ADAPT TO WHAT SURROUNDS US, DISCOVERING THE STRENGTH WITHIN TO REACH OUR DESIRED OUTCOME. PERHAPS TRUE STRENGTH IS NOT WHAT WE SHOW ON THE SURFACE, BUT WHAT WE DISCOVER WITHIN.”

Mark Humphrey