A forest bathed in an ethereal glow stretches endlessly, its skeletal trees reaching like veins against a dusky sky. Shades of deep crimson and electric pink bleed into the scene, blurring the boundary between reality and memory.

Two figures move along a worn path—one ahead, the other trailing behind, outlined as if existing between presence and absence. Their forms, ghostlike yet grounded, suggest a quiet journey through time, where past and present converge in layered textures and hues. The interplay of photography, painting, image transfer and drawing transforms this landscape into a dreamscape, evoking themes of solitude, passage, and the traces we leave behind.

Clarity

Shape Shifters is an arresting exploration of identity, perception, and the fluid nature of selfhood. The composition is layered, fragmented, and pulsating with an otherworldly energy, as if reality is shifting right before the viewer's eyes. A dominant face fills the left side of the frame, its features outlined in warm gold, exuding presence and intensity.

In the background, spectral figures emerge, traced in electric hues of blue, red, and yellow. These outlines appear to be versions of the some individuals, duplicated and altered, as though moving through different dimensions of self-awareness. A phone screen captures yet another mirrored image, further complicating the layers of identity within the piece.

  
The textured surface, marked by organic patches of wear and erosion, gives the work a sense of history, as if identity itself is constantly being rewritten. The interplay between the deep blues and purples of the background and the luminous linework creates a mesmerizing tension between presence and absence, solidity and dissolution.

  
Through Shape Shifters, the viewer is invited to question the stability of their own image - how do we define ourselves when our reflections are constantly shifting? The piece stands as a testament to the fluidity of identity in an era of digital multiplicity and self-reinvention.

  

Shapeshifters: Edition Two

Olympia 

Anubis Embalmed

Amun Rising

Mourning Isis

This diptych captures the quiet tension of movement and the dissonance of presence and absence. Both pieces situate a man in transit, seated in a train or bus, yet his demeanor suggests that he is somewhere else entirely lost in thought, disconnected from the journey unfolding around him.

  
In Bad Traveling I, the man cradles his jaw, seemingly mid-conversation or caught in a moment of self-reflection. The landscape outside, a blur of deep blues and purples, is etched with ghostly outlines of fragments of other passengers, lingering presences that feel neither fully here nor completely gone. Their neon contours, contrasted with the more solid rendering of the main figure, suggest the transient nature of travel, where people drift in and out of view, becoming fleeting apparitions in our periphery. The surface bears marks of tear, as if time itself has worn away at the memory of this moment, leaving only remnants behind.

Bad Travelling I

In Bad Traveling II, the man is now at rest, his hands folded, his gaze unfocused, or perhaps even asleep. The world outside the window has transformed the blurred human figures replaced by skeletal trees, stark against a vast, midnight-blue sky. The trees, delicate yet unyielding, evoke a sense of isolation, as if the landscape has become a reflection of his own internal state. The deep cosmic hues, punctuated by flecks of pink erosion, create a dreamlike atmosphere, dissolving the boundary between the physical and the psychological.

  
Together, these works evoke the alienation of travel the way movement through space often results in a strange stillness within. They ask us to consider the ways we inhabit time, the fleeting interactions that slip past us, and the places we go, even when we are seemingly standing still.

  

Bad Travelling II

In “The Witnesses,” your gaze is drawn first to the background before the figures in the foreground reveal themselves. The central figure, seemingly familiar with the scene beyond, gazes inward while others younger and more curious, peer outward, captivated by the world outside their space. This juxtaposition reflects the duality of travel and diverse experiences it encompasses. On the train, individuals from different backgrounds come together briefly, sharing a moment of connection that wouldn’t happen in their everyday lives. 

The Witnesses II

The Witnesses I: Edition Two

Multiple lines are used to capture the movement and reflections, enhancing the sense of motion and ethereal quality of the scene. The contrast between the two parts of the composition highlights the themes of isolation and the blending of human presence with the surrounding environment. Recalling how lonely and isolated one can feel on long journeys, although we tend to be surrounded by people

Ghost in a Shell VII (GIAS VII)

“Ghost in a Shell” is part of the “GIAS” series, depicting two figures sitting on a train, each facing opposite directions. The lady faces the viewer, engrossed in her phone, while the man turns his back to the viewer, creating a sense of disconnection as they never interact. 

Ghost in a Shell VI (GIAS VI)

In this piece, two images are juxtaposed: on the left, a solitary figure navigates the woods with a stick; on the right, the same man walks ahead of two others. With the same process of image transfer, dyeing, photography and drawing techniques, the piece is produced with a stencil-like effect. 

The duality reflects our human experience – our solitary journeys and the moments we lead or follow others. It captures the timeless distance between walking alone and walking together – the interplay between individuality and community. 

Grandma's Hands

“The Forbidden Tree” elegantly merges photography, image transfer, drawing and painting. Through the careful manipulation of dye, the visual appearance of the image is transformed, with coloured outlines highlighting its details and form, resembling a cut-out or stencil print. This piece narrates the tale of a tree, bare of leaves and yet adorned with fully grown stalks and branches. It’s slender, fine twigs create a striking beauty, symbolizing resilience and the hidden allure found in what might first seem desolate. 

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Sara Black

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