DAY 3: NX Gen

In a slight reprise of yesterdays theme (Generational Man) I’d like to bring some additional context to what this means to me from a creative point of view, with the support of some visual aids - my paintings, which address themes of generational memory, urbanism and now the rising sub theme of man. Rather blatantly the first image is titled; ‘Man and the One Arm Pull-up’ and was inspired by the above themes, however the first seeds were sewn by a story about my predecessors. Namely my grandfather and his brother, who both worked on the docks of Sheppey. Both men were known as the strong men of the local towns around Sheppey with my great uncle reportedly being known for his one arm pull-ups. This led me to consider more about this and what it meant for the other men woking on the docks. Did they feel lessened by this show of strength and masculinity or was it to be revered.

I expanded the conversation to ask what this act and scene setting would look like in todays currency, what is the equivalent of man showing other men the feet of executing a one armed pull up today? Perhaps man who has a stable job, 4 bedroomed house and a nice car is the equivalent in todays currency. It’s an obvious stereotype and wreaks of convention but is it what we are being sold and does this feed the thinking of men who might believe that if they can’t achieve this and provide for their families in this way, that they are actually less because of it.

This type of pressure can build up over time and I’m sure many of us have felt the weight of this at some point in our everyday. If it is part of our everyday then we are in danger of repeating this invisible thought day after day until we have convinced ourselves that this is what a man is supposed to be; stoic, enduring, martyr-like. But in todays currency this means; uncommunicative, worn-out and lacking empathy.

My second painting is called; ‘Getting a Grip on our Future’ and represents young men, in this case my son and what he/they have to contend with in what is arguably one of the most challenging times to become a man. How will we help to shape the next generation of men if we can’t open up conversations about what it means to be man?