Bridging The Gap

Bridging the Gap is a painting about conflict and reconciliation, measuring out the space between, with all it's ambiguity. The idea began as a 'shots at dawn' format, the dinky car racers stepping out their paces with a toy policeman acting as adjudicator to the proceedings. But as the composition developed I wanted to weave in the possibility of a more hopeful outcome. The word dice, upon which the policeman stands plays with our assumptions; are the characters making ‘up’ or breaking ‘up’ ‘with’ each other? The Tower Bridge stencil behind is likewise suspended between meanings, is it opening or closing? The policeman is caught in the middle, his head framed by the vice-like gap of the bridge which is either about to crush or release him. 

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Bridging The Gap, oil on canvas, 51x71cm (2016)