Young Auk

71 x 71 cm

Oil on Canvas

1987.

 

The central image is a strange bird, a creature of the imagination. This suggests the internalised nature of the subject which is reinforced by the surrounding cave. The objects scattered around the cave underline the scant security and comfort offered inside while outside the ocean breaking against the rocks stands as a metaphor for the uncontrollable forces of the world. The auk is an endangered species, illequipped to to survive in a hostile environment.