In this series of paintings, I am looking at objects that I find abandoned on pavements. They are not just any objects: they are either too pretty to belong in the street, or have/had a close relationship with the body and human life – like clothes, shoes, toys.
I look at these items with compassion, like overlooked victims, and paint them as if they were subjects for a portrait, with an individual personality. Their eerie stillness fascinates me and makes me wonder who once owned them, what they silently witnessed behind closed doors, and what led them to their final resting place.
Technically speaking, the process is quite straightforward. However, colour mixing is a crucial step. I am after specific shades of red and blue that will almost fight each other, create a tension and a spectral, disturbing contrast.