The first time I met DOOM was a surreal experience; I was in the studio and it was one of those days where no matter how hard I tried the canvas was winning the argument I always enter when attempting to begin a painting. This discourse surrounding where my first brush mark should go on the sea of pristine primed canvas had apparently been going on longer than I realised as day had turned to night and rain had begun lashing down on the windows of the studio by the time DOOM appeared at my side. Since then, we’ve been inseparable, with DOOM driving my practice forward, and me the vessel for the realisation of the abstract concepts created in our shared studio.

The work seen in this show explores primarily the idea of visualising the internal monologues experienced when one is anxious. This is a way of rationalising the irrational, and visualisng the abstract nuance of human emotion. Our work achieves this through the plethora of symbolism employed in each painting; the alteration of colour, distortion of proportions and the uncomfortable compositions all allow me to lead the narrative.

The relationship between myself and DOOM is a perplexing thing to articulate. DOOM and I are closer than siblings, we know more about each other than lifelong best friends and yet our relationship is not amicable, nor confrontational. DOOM exists as my opposite and it is seldom in life that one meets such an individual. DOOM’s presence in my work allows us to discuss things that I would never be able to say through words. DOOM has allowed me to discuss my anxieties, dysmorphic body image and irrational anger in a way no one else could. So I am both grateful for the experience of working with DOOM as he’s allowed me to address the issues, and yet I can’t help feel I would have been much happier without his approach as I may still have been blissfully unaware of their existence without him.

 

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