WOOD CUTOUTS

This body of work was instigated in response to the war on Gaza in 2014; the notion that one is issued with a so-called warning to ‘leave’ when in actuality leaving is impossible, given the prohibition of movement in all directions, not to mention time, is outrageous. Distraught, this action conjured in me an image of a trapped bird in a cage, where the bird is allowed to flee only after its wings are severed.  What chance does the bird have?  How is it meant to break free? Is the bird doomed?  Flying Without Wings was born.  With deeply felt anger, it was not enough for me to paint on paper or canvas; I felt an urgent need to slash into something in the process.  Wood was an apt medium as I shaped, carved, cut, sanded, pushed and pulled into it; a sense of release.  Colour, in effect light, is inevitable in my painting, be it on paper, canvas or wood as I tend to ‘see the glass half full.’  The portrayal of colourful though ‘wingless birds’ is indeed symbolic of perseverance in the face of adversity.  In my work, the bird, which somehow manages to grow wings and attempts to fly, carries with it its roots, land, culture, homes and memories, in a process reminiscent of the excruciating ripping out of one’s heart. Yet, tomorrow will be another day and the sun will always rise.”