Greed

Earlier this year I took part in an exhibition called 'The Making of It'. The show went really well despite the terrible weather we had at the opening and was quite well received. It's hard to give an accurate overview of the space as it doesn't translate very well into my photos. It was actually a really great venue and considering how different and diverse the work was it actually gelled extremely well together. I was the only glass artist  taking part but there was also painters, sculptors and performance artists. 

Below are some photos of one of the panels I exhibited, how its lightbox was constructed and how it looked in-situ. Like my previous work the panel 'Greed' was created using traditional stained glass techniques. The colours are created by the glass itself except for the yellows which are silverstain. This is fired on along with the paint to create the overall effect. The clear glass that shows up as white is also sandblasted before the whole thing is leaded together and framed in a lightbox. 

'Greed' Roz McKenzie 2012. 

Glass 33.5 x 73cm. Lightbox 52.5 x 92.5 x 11.5cm.

Measuring the wood.

Starting to construct the lightbox.

Inside of lightbox prior to staining and electrics.

View of exhibition space with panels in the background.

Panel on back wall.

Two panels together through another artists installation.

Greed : The Inspiration

 We can follow the whole history of human endeavour through the eyes of greed. As the West explored the world it was for gold, or land, or resources, or money. And we never cared who we had to trample on to get what we wanted. In America we wiped out 80% of the population in some places with small pox straight off the boat. And that’s before we started killing them and taking their land. Not to mention China and the opium wars, or the Aztecs and their gold.

In the 70s Nestle was discovered telling new mothers to use their substitute formula instead of breast milk, which when mixed with dirty water killed huge numbers of babies. Once it was countries trying to carve out empire, now it’s multinationals and big business destroying the world, not caring who’s hurt as long they’re making money. Lots and lots of money.

The greed of the few at the expense of the many is as relevant now as it has been throughout history. In the current recession, the collapse of the banks and the spiralling economic woes of the Eurozone, it is easy to see how greed has played its part. And still there are those who profit from the misery of others. The speculators and the bonuses and the golden handshakes in back rooms. They’re sitting right now on their yachts in the Caribbean while Athens burns.