Rural boots, Urban boots, 2026
Mixed media on Perspex
76 cm x 102,5 cm
Artist’s Statement
My work mixes the slow, rural life with the fast, growing city. I grew up where there is not much change, so I know what it feels like to wait for roads, schools, and jobs. The city moves quickly, with many people, light, and sound. I try to show both worlds in my work.
I paint on Perspex, layering different colours to create depth scratching various architectural buildings from city life, then let a view of mountains and vacant land peek through between the lines to reveal texture and memory. This blend creates a dream-like lifestyle that many people wish to live, a balance between progress and patience, between the built city and the open countryside.
Moving from the country to the city is not just changing where you live. It also means learning new rules, new ways to talk, and new community. My art looks at how a young man learns to fit in, keeps his memory of the old life, and slowly makes a new life in the city.
My practice is a life story about growing up and finding hope. It asks how development can be seen and felt in the spaces between places. I want viewers to feel both worlds and how they can shape the upcoming generation.
