Waterfalls Oil

"Waterfalls' marks an early exploration of surrealism within my practice, bringing together symbolic elements in a carefully constructed, dreamlike composition. At its centre, a dry cliff replaces the expected cascade of water, introducing a quiet sense of absence and disruption. Below, a golden cup filled with blood is approached by a butterfly, a subtle stand-in for the artist’s presence within the scene.

Throughout the work, objects carry layered associations: a string of pearls caught on a hook suggests the tension between desire and consequence, while a winding river echoes an interior landscape of thought. Smaller motifs, including playing cards, protective symbols, and everyday objects, are woven into the composition, grounding the surreal in the familiar.

Balancing clarity and ambiguity, "Waterfalls" reflects an early attempt to translate psychological states into visual language, laying the groundwork for a more symbolic and narrative-driven approach in later works.