Janus

Janus

2023

This sculpture is a contemporary reimagining of Janus, the Roman God of life/death, beginning/end and transitions. One face is striving towards the stars and beyond, whilst the other is looking back down to earth, to a path which has already been trodden. The two forms pull away from one another straining with every fibre of their being, rejecting the other's ideals; unrest and yearning is carved into their very forms. Both are desperate for it's goal, both equally unattainable, neither one being content in the now.

At its core, this is a harrowing allegory of the human condition of 'the dream' and the feeling of 'the grass is always greener'. It speaks of the battle for the ever moving goal of 'enough' that we all strive for in our ever growing society. From stepping on others to be 'better than the Jones' ' to starting wars based on past ambition, all in the interest of bringing our vision of a 'perfect future' to the now. In reality, this is the barrier which prevents us from achieving peace, the push for more is the push which leaves destruction in its wake for future lives to fix. Only when all three of our metaphorical heads live in harmony, learning from memory, living in the moment and sowing seeds for a better future, can we find our way to self actualisation and contentment.