Composition 2 2021

This work explores the structures and systems that shape modern finance through a language of geometric abstraction. Organised around a strong central axis, the composition combines bars, grids, and intersecting planes that suggest market activity, economic data, and the movement of capital.

Influenced by Constructivism and Bauhaus design, the painting uses precise forms and balanced composition to reflect the ordered frameworks upon which financial systems are built. At the same time, overlapping shapes and transparent layers introduce a sense of uncertainty, highlighting the unpredictable nature of markets and human decision-making.

The red and blue elements echo the visual language of financial charts, while the suspended circular forms suggest the flow of assets and the interconnectedness of global economies. The central white structure acts as a dividing line between opposing forces—growth and decline, risk and security, profit and loss.

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McLean Jackson is an Australian artist and filmmaker working across painting, screenwriting, and film. His practice is driven by an interest in narrative, atmosphere, and allegory. Through painting and moving image, Jackson explores the intersection of personal experience and broader philosophical themes, creating works that invite reflection on contemporary life and the human condition.

Jackson works primarily through abstraction, employing geometric forms, architectural motifs, and carefully structured spatial relationships to explore systems of meaning, communication, and power. His work focuses on compositions that function as both formal arrangements and symbolic landscapes. Recurring elements include intersecting planes, linear frameworks, signal-like markings, and fragments of text, suggesting speculative structures or the remnants of imagined civilisations.

In addition to his visual art practice, Jackson has written, directed, and produced a body of independent short films, including Don’t Be a Juicehead (2016), The Final Foray (2018), Harmonia (2021), and The Extortionist, or the Revelatory Admissions of a High-Rise Loser (2022). His films range from character-driven drama and satire to speculative and philosophical narratives. He is also the creator of the forthcoming short film Immortal Lottery.