Madeleine Lamont | Aftermath

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Madeleine Lamont, "Neon Milkweed"

oil on canvas, 60 x 48 in. Courtesy of the Gallery.

Aftermath is a new body of work that explores the consequence of significant events and the impact those events have had both personally and globally. My work delves into such events' emotional, physical, and psychological effects and how they shape our individual and collective experiences. While the subject matter of "Aftermath" may appear heavy, my intention is not to dwell on the negative aspects of these events but rather I am interested in the process of rebuilding, change and renewal that can emerge from the aftermath of difficult and often destructive events.

The first painting I did in preparation for this exhibition is titled “Afterlife”. A glowing almost neon Milkweed, (an important pollinator plant) set in a nightscape the work appears to exude two parallel qualities it is at once vivid and intense but also serine/otherworldly, contemplative.

Life and death the “memento mori” are central and powerful ideas in the Still Life genre and I have aspired to incorporate these concepts into my work. I use elements from nature, such as plants, flowers, and animals to suggest the notion of new growth and regeneration, hope, and loss.

For work in this exhibition, my use of colour has shifted, and the underpainting has become intense and vivid.  I have used various materials and mediums to symbolize the different stages of the aftermath, from destruction and chaos to healing and renewal.