BREAK POINT

Is breaking a good thing? 

Break Point, 2021
Oil paint, acrylic, Kevla fibre and aluminium
Unique work
H80 x Dia70cm
© Mark Humphrey

“BREAK POINT IS A SELF-PORTRAIT MOULDED AROUND MY OWN BUST, EXPLORING THE MOMENT WHEN PRESSURE, SETBACKS AND ADVERSITY PUSH US BEYOND WHAT WE THOUGHT WE COULD ENDURE. IN SPORT, A BREAK POINT CAN CHANGE THE COURSE OF A SET AND BRING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR VICTORY CLOSER.

INSPIRED BY THE FORM OF AN ANCIENT SOLID MARBLE BUST, THE CONTEMPORARY INTERPRETATION IS CONSTRUCTED FROM HOLLOW MATERIALS AND MARKED BY FLESH-TONE FLORAL ‘BULLET HOLES’ – WOUNDS WHERE DAMAGE AND ATTACK BECOME POINTS FOR GROWTH.

THE BODY IS OPENED TO ITS CORE, EXPOSING THE CROSS AS A SKELETAL SYMBOL OF STRENGTH, BELIEF AND FAITH. THREAD-LIKE FLORETS EMERGE AS HEALING SCARS UPON A BLOSSOMING BODY, SUGGESTING RESILIENCE, THE SHEDDING OF AN OLD SKIN AND THE POSSIBILITY OF BECOMING SOMETHING NEW AND IMPROVED.

BREAKING POINT CAN BE A MOMENT OF FAILURE, BUT IT CAN ALSO BE A MOMENT OF CHANGE AND SUCCESS – AN INTERRUPTION THAT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO STOP, REFOCUS, ADAPT AND REBUILD. SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO BREAK BEFORE WE CAN GROW.”

Mark Humphrey