Before The Wyrm

Acrylic on found board, 12 collectable fetish cards. A large painting reminiscent of medieval artwork and the religious paintings of the Northern Rennaissance is littered with strange details: A man hatching from an egg, a city floating in the sky, a tower of impossible architecture. Each detail has a gold symbol nearby, each symbol on the painting matches one of those found on 12 small boxes (dispensors) mounted on the wall next to the painting. The audience is invited to look at the painting and decide which part of the image ‘resonates’ with them. They are then asked to take a small card (approx 2cm tall) from the dispensor that matches the symbol they have selected. The images on the cards are either a direct copy of the detail on the large painting, or could feature different details but be related. For instance the card could show the same detail but at a different point in time. Each image and detail is inspired by myth and folklore but are not specific representations and each detail is not consciously made to relate to any other. Instead any meaning or narrative inferred from the work happens entirely from the efforts of the viewer. The work is an exploration of the human drive to find story, meaning, and a belief in something greater.