New Arrivals

Acrylic paintings of people in an unfamiliar 'habitat' make up the 'New Arrivals' series. They may be migrants, asylum seekers or refugees. A migrant myself, I am interested in the person's new life, their perception of self in their new place. 

I believe that perception of self is never isolated from a person’s ‘habitat’, their place. How does a person's self image shift when they change their 'habitat'?

I also believe that others’ opinions of a person often contradict the person’s self image, in particular, and perhaps curiously, where the others share that same ‘habitat’. Is there inherently more truth in the perception of self than that of others? Does the degree of certainty in one's self image necessarily change with a change in 'habitat'?

'New Arrivals' does not however promote any particular political agenda but rather explores cultural norms and constructs. The others' perceptions of a new arrival is coloured by the discourse on rightful and wrongful presence.