Both of these art works, which I’ve created and mentioned (above and below) with their strong images grew out of intense anger at world Capitalist developments and a dislike of waste, greed and depersonalisation caused by the so- called ‘respected’ leaders of the ‘free world,’ and what was laughably referred to as ‘the new world order’ but actually looked like an old world disorder.

The innovative idea in the painting of the structure of the hull of the ship came from a large, strange type of tropical tree pod found in the Northern Rivers area, where I used to work and create.

With a mast made of a sate stick and sail of clothe, I made these pods up to amuse children as funny little boats. I was curious about their shape and set up a scene like a small stage to do the painting. It was then I placed some of the most blatant, opportunist and decadent politicians within its hull, satirising them with a satisfying sense of revenge.

Over a million people have died in doomed, occupied places like Iraq, and 4 million forced to leave on new journeys from their homes and country. All for oil and gas resources to fit the needs of US aggressive strategic policies. Whole countries and cultures have been trashed across the region and the world for the sake of arbitrary financial interests of power elites.

As the creative process progressed, the centre panel came first in the painting and then I added the outer frame with symbolic ideological ‘complaints’ such as the torture of prisoners at ‘Abu Gahib,’ as well as the irony of Bush’s sign of ‘Mission Accomplished‘ and so on. There was major and minor symbolism and allegory attached to each section. The whole work of this ship of fools is a protest against inhumanity and crimes against humanity.