CRAIG WADDELL ‘MEXICO DREAMS’
"From a very young age I’ve been afraid of flying, plagued by the notion of being trapped in a vessel in the sky. On a recent flight to Los Angeles the pilot announced he was turning the plane back, there was a bomb threat. My heart stopped. Luckily the threat was a hoax.
This experience gave me a greater understanding of life and death and how they run as parallel forces which was timely, as we were enroute to Mexico, a country that so beautifully and openly celebrates life and death.
I returned to Mexico a few months later to revisit the bright colours, textures, flower offerings, masks, skulls, local traditions and antiquities from ancient times which still play a significant role in their society. Immersed in a foreign land and challenged by new cultural influences, I delved into a world of mythological figures and narratives which led me to question my own morality and desire to attain enlightenment.
Mexico Dreams references ancient Mayan and Aztec artefacts sighted in the anthropology museums of Oaxaca, Puebla and Mexico city, spiritual healers I visited on the outskirts of Oaxaca and the indigenous people of San Cristobal’s elaborate textiles and folk stories."
Gallery Entrance
Speak to me my love, Craig Waddell, 2016
Left: Night has yest to arrive, Craig Waddell, 2016
Right: Beauty is its charm, Craig Waddell, 2016
The Edwina Corlette Gallery is located on Brunswick St in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. It opened in 2008 and is a contemporary art space for emerging to mid-career artists.
-----Follow Up Questions -------
What themes does artist Craig Waddell explore in his work?
Morality. Exploring his understanding of life & death. He also references Mayan & Aztec artefacts throughout his work. Themes from Mexican culture also appear in Waddell's work -including bright colours, skull motifs, flowers and masks.
What event has caused him to consider these themes in painting?
Waddell was on his way to L.A and there was a bomb threat on the plane. This caused him to consider his own morality and try to better understand life and death.
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