'Screaming', oil, acrylic & household paint on canvas, 97x97cm, 2017-19. 
 
Title reference: Bronski Beat Age of Consent London Records released 1984.
 
Two over-sized ceramic donkeys stand braying on top of a blue washed brutalist German WW11 bunker which protrudes from flat monotone babouche yellow, brilliant white and olive green stencilled-like faux foliage amidst a delicate burnt sienna honeycomb-like orange sky. 
 
The placing of the kitsch shiny animal ornaments (artificially cast, like the bunkers) on top of the still-foreboding monotone-grey concrete-carcass highlights the often absurdity and unsuccessful attempts of WW11 camouflage techniques. The viewer can practically hear the continuous “hee-haw! hee-haw!” acting like a beacon warning passers-by to still keep away whilst playfully undermining their past-life killing potential.
 
I often feature ceramics in my paintings because my Nanna collected ceramic ornaments which she thoughtfully placed inside a locked glass cabinet in the lounge-room that was reserved for special occasions. I like the concept of repeating artificially…. for example, painting is of course creating a three-dimensional illusion upon a flat two-dimensional surface. And my subject being an inanimate man-made object (ceramic ornament) that is already an interpretation of an actual and real thing further contributes to the falsehood. The addition of a dark brown line and a white border (that the foliage protrudes beyond) acts as another signifier reinforcing the artificiality.