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Artist Statement - Singapore '96
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I am concerned with the depiction of beauty in my artwork, and try to make the work accessible to many people. The folks: what would the average folks think of this installation or these paintings? I'm constantly asking myself: how would a young child or elderly person react to this work? Although my work often deals with complex social or intellectual concerns, I avoid being didactic and prefer to use beauty and humour to communicate ideas.

Good art has depth, that is to say, many levels of engagement. On the surface, my work can be engaging by the use of naturalistic beauty. Then, if the viewer cares to view longer they can see other levels of meaning in the same work. Deeper probing is rewarded with still more levels. Finally, if one peers deeply enough they can find a path leading to a synthesis of the various levels. I want my work to engage the eyes and emotions, as well as the intellect.

I create work in a wide variety of media and styles, both classical and unconventional. Although regularly creating drawings and paintings using graphite, Chinese ink or acrylic on paper, I'm most interested in using materials from everyday life. Some favourite materials include: astroturf, fun fur, ornate wallpaper and billboard proof print sheets. I gain the most by learning to use the creative properties of common or unusual materials to express my ideas.

The most constant theme is the relation between the natural and the synthetic. It is tragically funny how we contort the natural world for our convenience - like using petroleum based products to simulate fur or grass. We go to through ridiculous efforts to produce products of dubious value.

During the past few years my work has started to incorporate elements of Oriental art and design. This has been brought on by my travels in China and Japan and the study of Chinese painting and calligraphy. Although still a novice, after years of study some elements started appearing in my work.

Another concern expressed in some of my work is the spread of multinational corporations. These entities have become like a global cancer, devouring natural resources and exploiting people. They generate useless short term wealth by using advertising to create a bottomless pit of desire for nonsense. To me, hell is a world full of cars and Ronald McDonald is the terrifying face of evil.

The present state of spiritual hunger in the 'developed world' being generated by manufactured greed and temporally satiated with consumerism cannot be sustained much longer. Art can be part of the solution as it can help us to understand our world better, transcend present realities and gain spiritual fulfilment.

Singapore, 1/96