Oil on canvas, 149×185 cm
This painting symbolises the complete destruction of humankind when all that remains are the products that humans have created. The rope represents humans’ pathetic attempt to tie down time and gives the painting an ironic twist.
The style is that of a faded black and white snapshot with the colours painted in. This technique is intended to highlight the complete sense of desolation shown in the painting.
The thinking process that went into the creation of this painting was ahead of its time. Since 1985 awareness has slowly spread around the world about the effects of humans on our environment.
At this stage of my life, entering old age, I am resigned to the inevitability of change.
A new dawn of complete change is arriving. Not only with regard to the earth but human beings will also be completely different. Their realities will be unrecognisable to the people we are today. I do think that the vision shown in this painting is not going to be realised in the exact way that I imagined at the time of making it so long ago.
My mother, who is a tapestry weaver, really liked this painting. She made a beautiful tapestry based on it that is just the same size as the original. It is included here.