We made this painting free diving with manta rays in the maldives. We were struck by the gracefulness of these gentle giants and the texture of their rough black skin formed as all sharks of tiny teeth. After each interaction we would rub the our work in the ground coral rock sand to emulate the texture of this skin, our ink flowing in the water leaving its random residue. This work has rested in the bottom of our studio plans chest for the best part of fifteen years. Recently we de finally finished this piece. Mantas’s reflect so many colours; refracted sunlight, the reef, tropical blues of every hue. Subtle colours, marks, and lines that now complete this originally, site specific painting.
Black manta
Black manta
Maldives and london. £15,000
Size: 5x4 ft
Chinese ink, sand, coral rock, salt water and hand ground pigment.