Zing

Having travelled extensively and visited many a european city, it had been a long time since I was so strongly attracted to a place. And I was only passing through Aberdeen for a couple of hours en route from the Cairngorms National Park to take a ferry to the Shetlands on this Scotland trip. Funnily I was just looking for food when I walked up from the bus terminal to what looked like the "Orchard" area. I like the vibes of the city. Maybe it was the genial Scots, maybe it was the students, maybe it was the buildings setting, somehow it felt like I was in Harry Potter land..

And then I chanced to see in the distance what I learned later to be the Castlegate square. It drew me instantly like a magnet. I was especially fascinated with the hexagonal 1686 mercat cross (market cross) with a vertical post and white unicorn at the top, that symbolized the burgh's (Scottish town) right to trade. It was also the site of royal proclamations and public executions.. oops, in the old days I mean.. believe it is the host of less hazardous activities nowadays ;p

I love the square and the way the particular lamppost stand out against it. Giving the pic I took a 'photoshop' treatment produced a wonderful red sky drop in sync with my feelings about the sense of the place. I changed the composition somewhat when I did the painting for better spatial perspective and gave full play to the interaction of the subjects, creating lots of movement for the eye.


Title: Zing (O27)
Description: An expression of the whimsical interactive energy that the Castlegate square of Aberdeen gave to me, despite it being known as the Grey City. The buildings, citadel, mercat cross, and even the lamppost, seemed to speak to me when I was there and it was this strong attraction, together with my impressions of the captivating vivacity of Aberdeen, that I seek to express with my colours and strokes. Scotland 2009.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 60 x 50cm.
SOLD.