Graffiti and Crumbling Walls

I have had what seems like a very long break from painting – it has been at least six months. I realised I need a break when the last two paintings I was working ran into the ground. Throughout this time I have taken no interest in art whatsoever apart from wondering sometimes if my interest had gone for good although I really hoped it hadn’t.

Part of the time was spent on a much needed holiday in The Gambia where I came face to face, for the very first time, with extreme poverty. It was an experience that will haunt me for the rest of my life and one which has occupied much of my thought and resources ever since. I could write pages about it and the total lack of working together by all those that are trying to help to improve things. It is, in my opinion, a human tragedy which would be relatively easy to solve but like so many things in this world it needs some joined-up thinking and that still seems to be an ever elusive human quality.


For some unknown reason my interest in art returned in the last few weeks. I decided it was time to experiment again and found myself thinking back over some of the articles I had read on Jafabrit’s blog on the subject of graffiti and urban art. So, one day I took out my camera and took loads of photos of graffiti, crumbling walls, peeling paint and torn posters that are plastered all over Alicante. Since then, I have become really quite turned on by all of this and found it a real inspiration. It also brings into question what is the difference between abstraction and realism. The photos are of abstraction and yet are total reality. ‘Go figure’ I think the popular phrase is.

Jafabrit said she would like to see some of the photos so in response to this I have put together the following slide show. It was great fun taking these ‘abstract reality’ photos and I am sure they will influence my forthcoming work enormously. I am definitely in experimentation mood and my head is buzzing with ideas. I hope that you enjoy them and see what I see.