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ILLUMINATING THE DARKNESS, 2014

ILLUMINATING THE DARKNESS, 2014

This exhibit is about the blinding darkness we experience when everything in our lives seems to be going wrong, and the turning point at which we discover the light at the end of the tunnel. It is a universal feeling, yet it is seldom exposed in art form. As with anything in life, this darkness is only temporary, yet during the moment of darkness it is almost impossible to maintain perspective and see the lightness of life. There is no light without darkness, no shadow without light, and moments of darkness are an experience as certain as death. Whether this darkness is illness, a financial crisis, the loss of a loved one, or simply a bad day, life is filled with these moments that contrast the great ones. But the beauty of life is that everything is temporary. After darkness, there is always light, and we are reminded of this every morning.

The exhibit plays with the idea of the contrast between light and dark, yin and yang, chiaroscuro, and tenebrism by utilizing a stark colour palate and mixed media. Each painting is a portrait of the emotion that I experienced during a great loss, reflecting on the psychology of affects. My aim as the artist is to begin a conversation with the viewer about their emotions and their life experiences whilst remaining positive, as the message of the show is that everyone has the capability of illuminating the darkness.