Neighbours

'Neighbours' brings together two very different generations of industry: a brightly illuminated Land Rover showroom and a historic Cornish engine house standing quietly beside it. Separated by time and purpose, the two have nevertheless become part of the same landscape.

The idea for Neighbours began during a very ordinary trip to have the car serviced.

I'd seen the Land Rover dealership before, but this time I became particularly aware of the old engine house standing beside it. At first they seemed like an unlikely pairing, modern glass and illuminated signage alongside the remains of Cornwall's mining past.

The more I looked, though, the less they seemed to compete with one another.

Both belong to different generations of industry. One represents a working part of the landscape today, while the other remains as evidence of the industry that shaped Cornwall before it. They simply happen to occupy the same space now, almost keeping each other company.

My original reference was taken during the day, but I reimagined the scene after dark. Lighting the showroom allowed the modern building to hold its own against the distinctive silhouette of the engine house, while the night sky brought the two very different structures together within the same scene.

The title Neighbours came from that relationship. Rather than separating heritage from the modern landscape around it, the painting is about noticing how naturally the two can coexist.

Painting coming soon...