Prayer Flag

Prayer Flag (40). Oils, oil bar & collage on canvas. 122x 122 cm. 2018.

This Large scale, mixed media painting was made in 2018. For some reason unknown to myself, I wanted the base material to be common and cheap. I ended up stretching a cotton canvas dust sheet from a hardware store. After days of layering thinned red oil paint on the surface, I then painted 40 deeper red flags in rows of five. After viewing an inspiring exhibition I decided to take a risk with a garishly bright orange oil bar and drew a messy downwards facing triangle. I then sort to recycle old artworks on paper, by cutting hundreds of triangles to be painstakingly hung like bunting on the canvas. This was labour intensive and felt somewhat obsessive. To compensate I finished the piece by throwing magenta oil paint over the surface which was highly satisfying.

On further research into the significance of the number 40 I realised a strange ‘coincidence’. 40 is associated with focus, method and dedication. It’s energy is persistent and dedicated to the job at hand and instinctively knows what’s right and wrong. This describes the whole process of making! During making, I felt like I was creating some sort of talismanic object. Traditionally a prayer flag used in Tibet is imbued with mantras and prayers and put up high on mountains to weather the elements. The wind blows out the prayers associated with peace, compassion, wisdom and strength for all of humanity. 

On various occasions I have made art that has predicted a future event either for myself personally or collectively on a wider scale. On this occasion whilst making this painting I had the distinct feeling that I was making a much needed prayer for humanity. I felt that it would be relevant at a future date when I turned 40 in 2020. I associated the flag with the earth element and the divine feminine, which I believe embodied qualities that would be needed both for myself and others in our current times.