Small domestic pieces from COVID 19 Lockdown when I lacked access to my studio

These paintings are a response to the novel of the same name by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa. This moving and political novel is about the decline and disintegration of a noble family during the Italian risorgimento. The passions and grand sweep of the novel moved me deeply.

Small domestic pieces created during lock down when I was unable to use my studio - about those less fortunate than me during these difficult times

“Unbonded” throws light on some of the important economic issues that drive poverty and inequality, in this case the lack of access to mortgage finance in most countries in Africa. When I fly over and drive around the African cities I visit, I’m always struck by the many unfinished buildings I see, as this is in such sharp contrast to the cityscapes I see in more developed economies. Ironically, these buildings provide some incredibly iconic imagery; black gaping spaces where windows should be, torn cloth billowing in the wind, shaky scaffolding, grey silhouettes, rough concrete textures set against a grey sky. The works in this series are both about these buildings and the idea of the homes they will one day represent.

Concept for a planned exhibition at XVA in September 2025