The boards screwed together, two layers of gesso applied and the base is ready to go. First I painted on the poem., which is scribed in Moroccan Arabic. To be honest I don't know what it means...something lost in the translation I fear. The page that translated it read like gobbledegook. I wonder if it was something to do with trying to transpose words read from right to left into words read from left to right! I expect the calligraphy is very stylised. It looks very beautiful anyway.
The background was inspired by this lovely crumbling doorway, a legacy left by the Italians. The archway draped in faded, dusty, rotting fabric. Whose purpose was not altogether clear. The plaster on the walls flaky and the peeling pinky paint echoing the sandy ground.
I have so much material gleened from Libya it should keep me going for sometime, despite the fact my camera died on me only half way through the trip. Hey ho any excuse to go back!
I am making a start on some mini works. Small pieces of wood about 6-8'' long, some smaller. They are gessoed up ready to go and will post some pictures soon.
