Exhibiting at the British Museum: 'Raphael: emerging artists respond’
My painting ‘Death Chases Life, But So Do We’ (2019) was on display at the British Museum as part of the Raphael: emerging artists respond exhibition from 6 September – 13 October 2021. I’m very grateful to be selected and be able to exhibit alongside five other talented artists as well as with the original Raphael drawing. Thank you to Sarah Jaffray for her passion and dedication in curating this exhibition. What struck me first about the 1505-06 Raphael drawing was its layers within its Verso/Recto (front and back), and how these markings seem to float to the surface in its delicate battle of contrasts/conflicts – something that was visually and metaphorically fascinating to me at the time. The drawing was a study he made from when he was still training, directly from Michelangelo’s ‘Battle of Cascina’. This opens up an intriguing dialogue about drawing from great works of art and how that helped Raphael find his own individual, artistic voice – which is exactly what we did in this room. The project showed me the value of drawing from others, and how much you learn from that process alone – it is like layers of history coursing through your fingertips.. an indescribable, powerful feeling. In the end, the painting came to express a colourful relief from the anxiety of death’s constant chase – Raphael’s depiction of these alive & moving torsos gave way to the fragility of life but also served for me as a hopeful push towards grasping the temporary beauty of it all; for the sake of ourselves and our loved ones.