'An Oriental Contrast', 2010
After taking great interest into Buddhism I wanted to make a work that focused on the dramatic contrast of the spiritual and technological consumerist culture of Asia. I assembled ready-made found objects to present this clash of culture; a hanging rapeseed oil drum (which is self explanatory in its brand name), and two Chinese scroll calendars that hang from the bottom of the drum, and connect at the ends. I painted in an Eastern style on the blank sides of the calendars to show this division and incorporated Chinese calligraphy at the bottom to title each side. On the Consumerist scroll I've stamped binary coding into a river on a loose landscape. On the Spiritual scroll I have recited a passage from Christmas Humphrey's 'Buddhism', on the enlightenment of Gotama, the last Buddha, and attempted to paint my vision of this moment. I then stabbed bamboo through both scrolls to further emphasise the juxtaposition in the culture. The spinning of the barrel and the use of calendars almost presents to the viewer the flow of the society in the Eastern world through time.