Image: Erik Olson, 2010.

The new paintings are expressions of a time of massive transformation. We're in the midst of a sea change where the old structures of order are crumbling before our eyes. Asia is rising, global power is shifting and we seem to be entering an age of greater disorder. The narrative of these paintings is set within this context of uncertainty. The work is based on my own personal experiences motorcycling through the diverse landscapes of India, yet they are not direct depictions or portraits of India. They have become more like dreamscapes, assemblages of experience and imagination. Despite all the apparent disarray, the paintings suggest optimism. Although our age is unique, the creative and transformative processes that continually reshape the world are timeless. The greatest lesson I gleaned from India is that we are part of a continuum with the world constantly in a state of both disintegration and cohesion. There is no right or wrong, only constant change, over and over again.