Red

Red, 2017, porcelain 28 x 15 cm SOLD

Physicists say that the universe can be traced back to a beginning and each of our bodies to high mass stars. We are not simply in the universe, we are part of it, born from its dust. 1] Perhaps it is therefore not so strange to look for the symmetry between a photon of red light landing on an atom and that passionate man called Red.

When a stream of light falls on a metal atom, like iron, some of the light gets absorbed into the electromagnetic field of the atom and is used to energize electrons to higher orbital states, but some of the light is not needed and is then reflected away from the atom. It is this reflection of light that becomes visible to our eyes as colour. We literally see what flies off the cuff. But the light that had to be absorbed for the sake of Red lies so deep in the bosom of the atom that we can almost say, that must be the heart of Red. (There you’ll find all the other colours on the colour wheel except of course Red. Mixing these together without Red, you’ll find the warm Umber heart of Red, which he 2] has left behind.)

While Red is flying off the surface, he is oblivious of his earthy heart. What can then be done to put Red in touch with his heart? The refining fire inside a ceramic kiln will melt Red iron oxide until it turns into the warm umber colour of Red’s heart. So when I see Red, I must remind myself that Red is not himself, not yet, but one day he will be.

Red boils with passion. He sings along with Robbie Williams, ‘I have so much life running through my veins going to waste’. Red will do anything for you, he’ll even engage in toxic toil for you, wear a mask and loose his soul for you. Until that one day when he sits up in his leaves and knows that he can’t take it anymore and cries out loud – ‘This is not who I am!’