This watercolour was created for my solo show 'Rune', in which I painted the runes of the Norse Elder Futhark, using contemporary abstraction and an investigation of my own Norse genealogy as processes.
The Norse rune 'Algiz' represents 'protection from harmful forces', and the defence of that which one loves. As my response, this is a portrait taken from a photograph of US artist James Acord. James worked directly with live radioactive material in his art, as do I. He was the first and only private citizen of the US to be afforded a nuclear materials handling licence. He was so proud of the fact, he had the number tattooed across his neck.
He died from self-euthanasia in 2011. I never met him, but we are kindred souls. This piece is my tribute to him, and his life's work.