Run

2004

oil on canvas

125 x 84cm

This painting is significant to me for several reasons. Firstly, it was the first time that I used a canvas that had been created by somebody else. On previous occasions I had pretty much reworked my own work. So, in this painting some of the most significant marks were made by another artist, covered over by my own paint and then later exhumed.

At this time, I was also reading quite a lot of Carl Jung, in particular two works: Man and His Symbols and Memories Dreams Reflections. I suspect ideas outlined by Jung, particularly the concept of the shadow, crept into this work.

And as always with this process, because I work intuitively without premonition, the outcome is not immediately apparent and only reveals itself later. The name of the work, Run came out of this composition but can refer to all sorts of other meanings and concepts, some of which I am only realising and processing now.

Run was exhibited and sold at my 2011 exhibition, Sub. I recently enquired with the owner as to whether I could borrow the work for this exhibition. It turns out that the work has been sold without recording, so as of today it is missing in action.