Artist's Statement

​

Abandoned, derelict and idiosyncratic buildings and structures form the main subject of my work. I see these paintings as portraits of places, where I try to capture not just how they look, but the atmosphere and psychological weight they hold. I’m drawn to their somewhat forlorn, enigmatic and often eerie presence, but also to the sense of curiosity they evoke. I think it partly comes from a fascination with exploring places that feel hidden, unfamiliar or just out of reach.

 

Being devoid of human life, the paintings feel like spaces the viewer could step into. What has happened here, or is something about to happen? Should you keep walking, or look inside? I want to leave space for ambiguity, allowing the viewer to bring their own ideas and interpretations to what they are seeing.

 

The unease, stillness and sense of presence I experience in these places is something I try to tune into and heighten through painting. Rather than inventing atmosphere, I’m amplifying what already exists. In a way, I act as a conduit between the building and the viewer, translating a feeling that might otherwise go unnoticed.

​

The structures themselves all exist and are places I have visited or feel connected to, but I may relocate them or alter their surroundings to heighten a sense of unease and to shape a particular mood. The titles are deliberately matter-of-fact and void of geographical reference, keeping the focus on atmosphere rather than specific location.

​

After spending long periods painting these places, they begin to feel familiar—almost like old friends. There’s something comforting in that, though also a sense of loss when they disappear. Several of the buildings I’ve painted no longer exist, adding a layer of fragility and quiet emptiness to the work.