One of the books I read was, Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell, a fictitious account of the death of Shakespeare’s son. This led me to contemplate comparisons between the closure of the playhouses during outbreaks of the plague and our current lockdown. Elizabeth I, the Queen at this time, is famous for her statement on religious tolerance, “I will not make windows into men’s souls” (Although this was more likely coined by Sir Frances Walsingham writing about Elizabeth’s intention). I felt a correlation between the empty window of commerce and the bleakness of being locked down.
Last year I was drawn to intense, often primary, colours so this year I wanted to work with a more subtle palette – one drawn from the reflection of nature in the windows of the high-rise buildings. To explore the symbiosis with the architectural design, and how it exaggerates/magnifies the intensity of the colours.