Cambodia. Covid 19. ‘The Selling of Everything’ 120cm x 80cm, Oil on Canvas.
In this painting a young couple have done the best to survive the Covid 19 era in Cambodia. Its been a real struggle balancing lack of work, lack of money and lack of food with the raising of a child. This day they have sold the last of their possessions and their is nothing left. The last of the cashews have been collected that is all they have to eat. No money to pay the rent.
In Cambodia and many other countries this is a real everyday scenario. A professional couple out of work and trying to raise a family with no end to the misery in sight. The pathway left of centre represents the gradual divison of the husband and wife under stress. The bag to the left, has it been thrown by the wife or dropped by the husband as he walked off after delivering the bad news.
In this painting there are about 30 layers of tone from the background sky to the foreground. All of them have to work cohesively to be a successful painting. Compositional structure I have deliberately altered to enhance the struggle and confusion of the current world we live in..
Cambodia ‘The Calling’ 100cm x 100cm Oil on Canvas.
Previously on exhibition in the Asia European Meeting at the National Museum of Cambodia.
This painting s about the country side of Cambodia and how beautiful it can be and will be if left alone. Free of mining, deforestation, land clearing and polution. Thankfully there are many places in Cambodia still like this, however ignorance, greed and ‘progress’ are taking their toll.
The world loves Cambodia in its natural state. Visitors do not come to Cambodia because you have a nice airport, They dont come because you have a nice hotel, They do not come to see land clearing and real estate developments. They come to see the beauty of Cambodia, its people and experience their culture. Without the environment Cambodia would be left with nothing.
Today, the Cambodian environment and in turn Cambodia’s future, is seriously under threat.
Kulen, Cambodia, ‘Freedom of the Eagles’ 120cm x 80cm, Oil on canvas. unframed.
The relationship between man and animals globally is greatly important to the well being of humanity.Countries are judged by how well they look after their animals, wildlife and the environment. Sadly Cambodia is greatly lacking valued relationships between man and animal and in turn the environment. Except for a few.
In this painting one lone Cambodian woman spends valuable time feeding the remaining Black Eagles of Cambodia on the escarpment of Phnom Kulen and developing a unique relationship with these magnificent birds.
An example to all Cambodians, this person teaches others how important a real and meaningful relationship with wildlife and the environment and in turn their protection are to Cambodia and the wellbeing of its people.
‘The Golden Lotus’ Angkor Wat Central Tower, Upper Sanctuary Staircase
120cm x 120cm Oil on Canvas.
There has always been great debate over whether Angkor Wat contains a crypt underneath its massive 500,000,000 ton sandstone structure particularly under the Central Tower. A crypt that could even be concealed much lower than the ground level that Angkor Wat is built upon. This rumour has never been disproven. Even if it had been proven, would it ever become common knowledge? Just like the ancient pyramids of Egypt it is improbable to think that a crypt does not exist below.
An ancient legend passed on for centuries from Chief Monk to Chief Monk describes a Golden Lotus cleverly concealed within one of the staircases (known as the stairway to enlightenment) to the Central Tower and upper Sanctuary of Angkor Wat. The central staircases are worn and uneven, movement caused by a millennium of wet season rains and hot dry seasons, the mosses and lichens competing over a thousand years for territory.
It is said that behind this Golden Lotus, or perhaps the Golden Lotus itself, could be the key or perhaps even the mechanism to revealing the crypt below. The only one whom may ever possibly know its location is His Holiness himself. Information that can only be passed on to the next Chief Monk, never to be revealed. For a few hours once a year the only sign of where the golden lotus may be is by the lotus flowers of worship left behind.
Works completed in Australia from previous commissions and showings.
