SUNFLOWER

I wonder what happens? 

Sunflower, 2021
Oil and resin on Kevlar fibre, aluminium and acrylic
Unique work
H60 x W30 x D36cm
© Mark Humphrey

“SUNFLOWER EXPLORES THE MOMENT WHEN LIFE MAY TRANSITION INTO AFTERLIFE. THE HUMBLE SUNFLOWER IS DRAWN FROM NATURE, YET BECOMES A METAPHOR FOR HUMANITY AND OUR ENDURING BELIEFS ABOUT LIFE, DEATH AND WHAT MAY COME AFTER. CONSTRUCTED FROM PAINTED, THREAD-LIKE STRANDS OF VIBRANT COLOUR, THE SKELETAL PETALS AND STEM RADIATE OUTWARDS, AS THOUGH ITS SPIRIT IS LEAVING AND MOVING TOWARDS THE UNKNOWN.

THE FLOWER IS PRESENTED BETWEEN A FLORAL ‘HEADSTONE’ AND A TRANSLUCENT, TOMB-LIKE STRUCTURE, CREATING A SPACE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH, PRESENCE AND ABSENCE. THE TRANSPARENT ENCLOSURE BECOMES BOTH VESSEL AND THRESHOLD – CONTAINING THE PHYSICAL FORM WHILE ALLOWING THE STRANDS TO DISPERSE BEYOND IT.

THE WORK ATTEMPTS TO CAPTURE THIS MOMENT IN TIME – WHEN THE SOUL MAY LEAVE THE BODY, AS SOMETHING INTANGIBLE APPEARS TO MOVE BEYOND IT.”

Mark Humphrey