Tai Taiβs, plaster and fibreglass painted in acrylic
(Above) These Tang ladies are a modern version of the ceramic Tang Dynasty figurines of their day or affluent Tai Taiβs. The word Tai Tai directly translates as Big Big, too much or a certain type of affluent wife. Though Tai Taiβs today tend to be a lot skinnier, these ladies are both wearing low cut typical silk Chinese style patterned outfits. The traditional terracotta figurines are often sculpted holding their dogs, which I have replaced with handbags & glasses of wine socialising at private views or functions around town. (See the HK painting section.)
Clay sculpted Tai Tai head.
(Above) The slightly disapproving mouth is an actual life cast of someoneβs mouth. The rest has been sculpted and exaggerated around the lips which were the starting point for this piece, the heads are slightly larger than life size. The clay hair was combed with a fine comb to get the texture & lines with the red hair comb pressed into the clay & cast during the mould making process.
Penny on her back, fibreglass and resin painted in oils. Glass heart shaped cut table topβ¦ slightly larger than life sculpture of Penny/Robert my transvestite friend & mews who introduced me to a side of London that features in many early sketches & reliefs of London Drag Queens. I took a show up to the Edinburgh festival in 1988 accompanied by an entourage of Drag queens who featured in the show. I became a catalyst for a rather nightmare scenario part of which which was filmed on BBC documentary βThe Lanesβ (see video). The above table is the reverse of the Allen Jones table of a woman on all fours in thigh high leather boots.
Body cast and re working moulds and heads using historical references
Hedonistic pre handover days, life casts plaster & fibreglass, in acrylics. 1996 When I first arrived in Hong Kong I lived and worked in a small flat in the heart of Wanchai. This torso shows a scene from a popular westerners hang out in the area, Joe Bananas, ladies night.
Yellow Torso, hands on hips. Life cast of a woman with hands on her hips, to help her balance as she didnβt like the process of being cast. commissioned as a memory of their courting days. A small bumble bee traces their travels across a painted globe. The bodice is decorated in a Qing dynasty style, with two long thin dragons that form the neckline. Whilst making this the woman went very pale & fainted apparently it was whilst applying the bandages near her neck. Her husband thinking she would never let me cast her again, stopped me from ripping off the mould, so we slowly lowered her to the floor to save the mould, luckily she & the mould were fine.
Life cast Torso. Plaster & fibreglass painted in acrylic, 1997 A wedding gift for her fiancee, a cast of her torso, made whilst wearing a bra the details can be seen in the finished cast. Turned into a blue & white ming style bodice. The chest is painted with fragmented scenes from the couples courting days in Hong Kong including the location of their first kiss in βthe big Apple in Wanchai,β the neon red apple logo on the left side of her chest.
Hedonistic pre handover days, life casts plaster & fibreglass, painted in acrylics. 1996 Before the handover there was a regular influx of American naval ships visiting HK and Wanchai would buzz with life at night. The above torso is a scene from inside the hostess bar Country 88, reflected back onto the torso; the mamasan keeping an eye over her patrons, girls pole-dancing, sailors & lecherous male faces.
Self portrait with; "lonely planet travel survival kit, India" 1984. self portrait sculpture made in Baroda Faculty of Fine Arts, the photo was taken standing out side the front entrance, where I was a student in 1982-1984. This is the only student work included in this website, but in many ways it tells the story of where my work went from there. As I have continued to travel & watch the world, seeking adventures & trying to understand different cultures, often the traveller, voyeur which this small piece was about all those years ago & the start of making painted sculptures.