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This work forms part of a series of new Madonnas, a re-visiting of a subject first explored some 20 years ago. It is multi-layered in its content and acknowledges the ceramic tradition of blue and white. The form is derived from a combination of press moulded details obtained from items of throwaway packaging and hand modelling. The surface is emblazoned with symbols and text relating to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and appear synonymous with the seeming, current preoccupation for having bodily tattoos. Het Bonhe means No to War in Russian – many Russian citizens, brave enough to protest against the war with Ukraine, faced being arrested, fined and/or imprisoned for holding up placards in public bearing these words. Some were arrested for holding up pieces of paper with a series of asterisks (hence the title) on and subsequently even blank sheets of paper as an act of defiance. Het Xynhe is Russian for No to shit and is another phrase found graffitied on walls as a comment on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The ‘Z’ symbol has been used by the Russian military to clearly identify their armoured vehicles and the ‘Z = Nazi’ symbol is lifted from graffiti seen on-line which is comparing the Russian army to the Nazi regime, something President Putin has publicly accused the Ukrainians of being. The number ‘109’ is an acknowledgement of the poignant image of the one hundred and nine empty prams used to represent the number of child deaths up to a certain point since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Wars have been fought on the back of religion throughout history and so a Madonna and Child could be seen to be an appropriate vehicle on which to comment/reflect on events relating Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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