My Body is a Boundary
Oil on Board
2016
• My Body is a Boundary: Mental illness and, specifically, depression is often referred to as the 'deep blue sea.' Harding has focused this oil painting on that particular theme through the use of an abstract figure - perhaps himself or someone close to him - by incorporating horizontal and vertical lines with deliberate thicknesses and relationships to convey ripples. There is a disharmony, compositionally, on the bottom half of the canvas suggesting a sinking or drowning feeling. Saturated and bright primary blue tones which is the only colour used, effectively portraying the deep blue sea of depression. A slowness and stillness of time, suggesting real time, in the flat deliberate motion of the blocking. Unbalanced, asymmetry on the left-side. Rhythmic water.
Happiness Projected
Oil on Board
Undated
• Happiness Projected: This canvas renders the narrative of someone starting at their reflection in a mirror and projecting happiness onto their own face. Their nakedness and the steam on the mirror suggests pre-or-post shower reflection and perhaps and unhappiness with their body. Body-image issues? An eating disorder perhaps? Lines and forms are methodical, layered and considered and show a clear understanding of composition and painting realism. The canvas encompasses many medium and dark values, shadow-heavy and flat. Texturally there are many brush strokes in the shadows aside from in the light area - which is still tonally dark. The light suggests a camera flash. An unhappy person taking a selfie? Capturing a moment in time. The canvas is incredibly heavy, dense, and filled with information, with a particular asymmetrically on the right-side.
Sunken
Oil on Board
2011
• Sunken: I feel this oil painting captures elements of the first two, in terms of composition, weight, theme, asymmetry on the right-side, colour-palette, lighting, and so on. Certainly painted as part of a series in congruence to Happiness Projected.
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