Renowned artist James Vaulkhard returns with a new, thought-provoking and heartfelt exhibition, The World Waxed Green. This captivating exhibition showcases Vaulkhards’ recent work created during the penultimate months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Spanning Singapore, Kenya and the UK, Vaulkhard provides insight into the realities of his own personal suffering channelled throughout a period of both individual and global ambiguity.
The World Waxed Green offers a raw exploration into existentialism; the uncertainty of life, death and the journey of healing. Each piece from the collection effectively captures the reverence of the viewer; the natural landscapes and fragmented beauty act as emblematic artefacts of the grief and meditative healing present within Vaulkhard’s own life during the pandemic.
Nature and Landscape
“Landscape is a medium I return to again and again. I first started painting landscapes as a young boy in Kenya. Later on, after art school, I produced my first solo show in Nairobi on landscape and now once again. It is where I feel most comfortable painting but I am not afraid to push it and experiment aesthetically. This body of work was a processing of the loss of two family members. When I started this series and found myself unconsciously immersing myself in nature, surrounding myself within it and through painting it has been an important process in healing. After researching the word ‘green’ I came across an extract about Osiris, in which it is said ‘the world waxed green through him’. In (Egyptian) mythology Orisis symbolizes death, rebirth, healing, fertility & metamorphosis which is a major artery in my work.”
Powerful Themes Permeate Vaulkhard’s Work
y Healing, beauty, grief and personal resolution are all thematically encased within this collection, making viewing a truly cathartic experience. Vaulkhard advocates that catharsis is a necessary asset in the post-pandemic climate in which society now exists, and that this exhibit will resonate and aid our collective acceptance of the past eighteen months, helping us turn the corner into a brighter future.
The World Waxed Green by James Vaulkhard. Asia House, 63 New Cavendish Street, London W1. 22nd-28th March 2022. For more information visit www.jamesvaulkhard.com
