West End Ware

This oil painting consists of two joined panels. It pitches Munch’s ‘The Scream’ headlong into retail therapy and the art of Ancient Greece. I took inspiration after walking through London's West End. I also have an interest in the art of Ancient Greece including its pottery. One such example is West Slope Ware, so-called because remnants were unearthed from the western slope of the Acropolis in Athens. Consequently I chose to contrast black with terracotta. I modelled the hands, arms, and shoes, using distinct brush strokes, extending my palette with Naples Yellow, Cadmium Scarlet, Indian Red, Ultramarine and Raw Umber. I painted the figure in a more abstract manner. (Note the Greek geometric pattern drawn on the woman’s sweater.) Initially, I painted all the hands in such a way as to mimic shop mannequins. Then I decided to change one of them, making it more human. My daughter acted as the model. Finally, I employed two decorative borders, or meanders, to reinforce the Greek influence.
Oil on MDF
122 cm x 244 cm x 5 cm
2015