Big Bent Bird
2004
Acrylic, Magazine Photos, PVA, Flowers and insects on hardboard
Currently at Gema's house, whatever country that is currently in.

So this thing was a commission. Gema came to me with the idea that she wanted me to scale up a picture she had found and put my own slant onto it. The picture was on the back sleeve of a record: "Programmed to Love" by Bent. The original painting is by a fella called Rob White. It appears that Bent and Rob are both based in Nottingham also!

I tried to make it my own by integrating a little photomontage into each square. Some have relevance to stuff. Some are just pictures that amused me thrown together.

It would have to be large but transportable as she was moving between the UK, the USA, Spain, etc etc. Its probably my largest painting, so I painted it on 6 square panels so it can be dis/assembled when required.

I swapped the painting for 2 tickets to Venice (back when I worried slightly less about fossil fuel use). Me and P had a great time there! Thanks Gema.

Here's some photos of me giving Gema the painting:

Here's some pictures Dusty took of the individual squares she liked: