Sweet Fruit from the Garden of Fear

Prototypes of scaled-up 50 cal bullet (22cm x 4cm)

our precious anger
private garden’s sweetest fruit
sowed with fear and shame

This work follows from my exhibition called “Fear Not” which explored the construct of fear and apprehension; examining the source of one’s deeply integrated fears and the courage and conviction needed to challenge and overcome.

“Sweet Fruit from the Garden of Fear” deals with related issues. What are the sources of the anger that form a dominant part of many people’s persona? I believe that deep-seated anger is a symptom and is derived from fear and shame.

Just as some people define themselves by their charity and kindness, there are those who define themselves by their anger and rage. In either case, the characteristic emotion becomes a cherished and nurtured part of their persona. (The irony of course, is that while the fundamental instigators of fear may have long since disappeared from a person’s life, its first derivative…anger…remains as a potent and poisonous relic.)

Thus far, I’ve made nearly 100 cast glass “bullets” ranging in size from 25cm to over 50cm in height. Each is ground and polished in such a way to impart the look of a cherished talisman that has been touched many times; transforming an obviously lethal object into a thing of beauty and preciousness.

Mean Girls

Pretty pretty
Pretty mean
Pretty scared
Pretty angry
Pretty pretty

5 Bullseye glass “bullets”, kiln-cast and cold worked.
Each bullet is 400mm high x 75mm diameter & 3.1kg.

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I Moved On Her Like A Bitch

This particular work is about misogyny, a subset of the larger theme of anger. The colours of the bullets refer to a mix of gender and violence. The title of the work is, of course, an actual quote. It’s a peculiar turn of phrase that seethes with hostility and contempt. It’s not locker room banter.

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E Pluribus Unum

Out of many, one.

This particular work is about the ingress of old, familiar tropes of anger, hate and alienation into the political landscape; of scarifying lessons forgotten or perhaps, never learned. The familiar colours of enlightened, progressive democracy; red, white and blue, have been infiltrated by red, white and black...the colours of fascism, racism, fear and hate.

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Im Abendrot (At Sunset)

These colours combined with the slanting afternoon light are a reminder of a favourite piece of music, “Im Abendrot”, from Richard Strauss’ “4 Last Songs as sung by Jessye Norman”. CLICK TO HEAR

Bruise (The Sum of All Fears)

This grouping is reminiscent of a livid bruise…which is, of course, the result of internal bleeding.

Photos by Clayton Lloyd.