Cross – Black and White Rhythm. 1995.

This work stems from 1971 when at Hoole Secondary Modern School, I came across a photograph of a car headlight. I thought that was an interesting photograph to base a very shallow relief sculpture on, to appear almost like a painting. So to achieve that aim I found a large board and I started cutting out same sized paper circles, arranging them in an overlapped pattern with the central circle not overlapped and then gluing them down onto the board, painting them white with the space between them painted black, in a kind of Op Art manner. I substantially reworked this ‘picture’ in 1978 and again in 1995. In 1995 I rearranged the composition to be more cross like which lent itself to the theme of Jesus, the Son of God and Son of Man, dying to redeem mankind on a cross just outside Jerusalem in Roman Judaea. His death and resurrection removed the barrier of sin between God and man. The effect of this action reverberates from that time to the present and on into the future.

​This reverberation, I believe, is shown by the interplay of positive and negative shapes made by the slightly relief overlapping paper circles and of the pattern of black and white, stemming from the central circle not overlapped and also untouched by black. This visual reverberation with a lively tempo spreading outwards from the central circle indicates a dance for the victory carnival and the triumphal procession, as Jesus led and still leads captive, all of the evil spiritual tyrants that have sought to enslave mankind, which is taken from the New Testament book of Colossians chapter 2.

​However the incongruity of the picture is that towards the extremities blackness and darkness as a metaphor for evil seems to spread and reign. One needs to return to fix one’s gaze upon the centre of the cross, the centre white circle representing Jesus and to see that the white and light spreads outwards overcoming all.

​The work is almost a square, measuring about 40 inches wide by about 37 inches high.