Carnival Series

‘Carnival Prizes’, the first oil painting in the ‘Carnival’ series, was on display at the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition (22nd September 2021 – 2nd January 2022). 

The ‘Carnival’ series was inspired by my sketchbook drawings over the summer of 2020. After coming out of lockdown I began meeting friends outside at the park and fun fairs represented the first sign of life to me. They symbolised festivities, social engagement and entertainment, and evoked the feeling of nostalgia and lost youth. It also made me think about the excitement that pulls you into a fun fair vs the reality of what it offers. The naïve wonder of a fun fair viewed through the eyes of a child, and how it appears shiny and new differs vastly from the reality it represents. Looking at it now through adult eyes the flaws are visible, and the polish has gone. I wanted to explore the reality vs the perception of this iconic pastime.