Shown at the Hoxton Lion & Lamb Christmas Show December 13th- January 4th

Images inspired by the sign language interpreter, Thamsanqa Jantjie, accused of making “meaningless gestures” as millions watched the Nelson Mandela memorial service. It was said, he communicated nothing with his hand and arm movements. Whilst Slavoj Žižek stated his performance translated an underlying truth.

Some times there’s just things.
Fascinating subject, the portrayal of meaningless Sign language. Painting is often concerned with the meaning or effect of the gestures the hand can produce. Sign language is fascinating for the proximity of the hand to the act of language. In the events of Nelson Mandelas’ memorial mass, it was a curious phenomena to see how much attention meaningless gestures garnered. Right at the center of attention, was essentially a blank space, meaning nothing.
Curious idea to explore such expressions, and the contrast between the purposeful and careful attention of making a painting. As a subject, it touches on the on nature of focused attention and the occasionally arising notion that arises in the quotidian of there being a gap, a void or something not quite language at the center of language. Whether that is a hint trickling out, of the limit of language or the limits of the human mind.

Empty spaces within hand gestures.