KEEP SMILING
Pen and acrylic paint on A2 white paper
One striking, visual change to the way people interact now is mask-wearing. Wearing a mask, I have noticed people do not smile at me: passers-by on the street cannot offer this glimpse of care or intimacy. Our troubled community cannot comfort itself. This piece is drawn in black and white, but the bright yellow circle placed on the lapel offers the missing gesture – the smile. Unrestricted and brightly offered to anyone. The message of this work is that we can still offer a smile, show care. Especially in the wake of George Floyd, we must be creative in how we tackle social divisions and not diminish interaction, but increase it.
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This work won Highly Commended in the Keynes Virtual Summer Festival of arts.
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View the online exhibition here: Kent Festival of Arts
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Details on physical exhibition pending.
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