Meet the artist: Damien Veal

“These pieces represent the concept of time in different ways: references to the passage of time are evident and there is also a prevalent sense of our present time and place in relation to those that have gone before. A classic selfie-pose, coupled with a raging dinosaur and 1950s-inspired UFO abduction, for example, provide multiple frames of reference, however, their potency is compromised as they fight for attention and significance within a single composition. In this case, all three components exist on the same plane of importance, despite occupying vastly different spaces in the continuum of time.

The often-repetitive nature of the work is an important component as this mimics the modern obsession with visual stimulation and the oversaturation of often inconsequential and forgettable visual information.

I like the idea that these pieces could be interpreted in a variety of ways and on many levels depending on the viewer’s own preconceptions. This encourages them to become a part of the work as they navigate the elements I have put forward for themselves. I hope each viewer will identify and respond to different components in the work; that it has sentimental connotations, raises a smile, challenges perceptions or even forces an emotional response, depending on the frame of reference.

In the new world anything is possible.”