This piece began as a test.

A black gesso ground, drawn into with white gel pen, then built up slowly with ink.

What emerged was an eye. Not consciously planned, but persistent enough to remain.

I have often found myself drawn to eyes. Perhaps because they sit at the threshold between looking and being looked at.

There is a slight discomfort in the image. The surrounding flesh feels exposed, almost as though the eye has been lifted from its setting. That tension was never forced, only recognised once it appeared.

The work does not carry a fixed meaning for me. If anything, it feels more instinctive than symbolic.

Yet perception, fragility, and awareness seem to circle quietly within it.

About the work

Small pieces often allow for a different kind of attention. More immediate, less negotiated.

This painting sits slightly apart from my memory-led works, but remains connected through a shared interest in how we experience the world visually.

Artwork details

Title: Unprotected

Year: 2026

Medium: Ink and gel pen on black gessoed canvas

Size: 20 × 10 cm

Finish: Unframed

Availability: Original, one of a kind

Process note: white gel pen and layered inks on black gesso ground.