She Dreams of Liberation

2012

oil on canvas

90 x 90cm

Previously this work, the first of five paintings from 2012, was entitled 2012, No.1. I created these rather mundane names for this series of paintings because at the time of my exhibition at the Depot Gallery in Sydney I did not want to create a definite statement about the paintings I had made that year, leaving the meaning open to interpretation by the viewer. As the exhibition approached, this name came to me and it became the title of the show.

Again, I recycled a secondhand, anonymous canvas, this one I had brought out from the UK, which I think was found at Catherine Grove Studios.

My original wash of paint blanked out a checkered yellow background and formed the ‘wings’ for what became the coifed figure, a motif echoed in The Pregnant Man.

As usual I used gorgeous Michael Harding paint for this work. I did not use yellow, that colour is from the original recycled work.