Crown of Thorns with Roses

In this work, I used my rolled Japanese paper bamboos, which I painted deep black. They intertwine, criss-cross and press together like a compact, almost organic mass. I added these little red roses, bursts of bright color, like beats of life set against the darkness. At the back, the ornate cross acts as a point of tension and contemplation. I like the contrast between the softness of the paper, the rigor of the black and the apparent fragility of the flowers, like a meditation on pain, memory and the persistence of life.