Saturday 27 September 2008

Artist's Statement

NPP : NED PAMPHILON PRODUCTIONS : ARTIST'S STATEMENT

St. Mary’s Church, Redgrave Saturday 04 October 2008

I've returned home after more than a decade abroad. In the short term I intend to paint themes inspired by Suffolk, Norfolk, East Anglia and eventually Great Britain. I am open to new sponsors, collaborators and content to avoid the conventional gallery circuit unless a gallery proposes serious intent, desire and financial imagination. St. Mary's Church, Redgrave provides a perfect venue for NPP: a community venue managed by the community for the community; plus it's just so wonderfully, glamourous, beautiful, spiritual, spacious...

I'm selling cards and posters produced in Istanbul at a £1 each and today donating 50% of these to St. Mary's funds. I have a limited selection of photo-block reproductions from Istanbul at £25+ and also donating 50% of these. My original paintings artworks are my proverbial 'babies' and the prices is in the £thousands. You may find them unaffordably expensive. You may consider them assured investments at very reasonable prices. The moment you turn an ignition key in a new car, which probably cost more money than the price of one of my paintings, the value of the car may well instantly lose at least £1,000. Anything purchased signed 'Ned' will be an ever increasing valuable asset. At the time of typing, my paintings may be a more secure investment than the cash in your bank account. 10% of an agreed sale of an original painting made today will be donated to St. Mary's.

“The most obstinately provocative painter I know.”
Brian Sewell, art critic The London Evening Standard

Though few people in the UK today will realise it, I suppose an Englishman installing a 3.5m high Smiling Ataturk into Istanbul’s Lutfi Kirdar Conference & Exhibition Centre is potentially more controversial than a dead shark in tank of formaldehyde or an unmade soiled bed. Just proposing the painting of 7 colours of the rainbow underneath the Bosphorus Bridge has apparently been too controversial for the current Turkish government. The relevance of some work only becomes realised with time, not that I crave to be relevant or controversial. I desire to sell artwork to generate income to enable the creation of further artwork. I've have employed many people to reach this point; to display these paintings here today. Be in no doubt, mine is a business and the aim is to employ more people and attain higher prices for my artwork.

To those who might ask what does any painting 'mean'? Take a look! It means whatever it tells you.

I live, therefore I am, therefore I am aware of our political world. I am powerful and so are you. The alternative is not to be powerful, so I must believe that together we can make a difference and change the system where required. Yes, I'm fed up with the political direction of the world. Yes, I would withdraw British troops from all war zones. Yes, I suspect 'free energy' exists and some one somewhere is not telling the rest of us. Yes, I support Ben Platts-Mills STARCH campaign: Start Taxing All Refined Carbo-Hydrates. Yes, it is fun promoting St. Edmund and the place named after him where the Charter of Liberties was allegedly signed which allegedly pathed the way for the Magna Carta. Yes, I'd reform income tax as recommended by US Republican Ron Paul. Yes, I suspect the Bank of England is a private company, not a 'public bank of the English people'.

If I were Prime Minister I'd implement a policy for well designed public toilets on every street corner; reform our ridiculous coloured bin system and sanction dustbin men and women, the rag and bone industry and scrap yard merchants to manage and the work in a professional manner. In Turkey you can leave anything in the street and it soon disappears. They were recycling well before (David) Blood and (Al) Gore came along with their 'carbon tax' business. If I were in charge I'd introduce Nikola Tesla to all school science lessons; teach awareness that Christopher Columbus was not the first to discover the Americas; liberate the awareness and teaching of our sexual energy; legalise and exploit the the energy and health giving properties of the hemp plant; create awareness whereby the electorate wake up and realise there is no discernible difference between McCain, Obama, Clinton, Bush nor Blair. They apparently all lie. Outside my own local village hall there stands a memorial. The names from Bloomfield to Brothers to Hogg represent young people who died believing they were putting their lives on the line for their families, friends and future generations. I understand that when Winston Churchill warned Parliament from the back benches of the impending danger of Hitler, many of his fellow MP’s derided him; suggesting the silly old fool shut up and retire. In previous years I vocally supported Blair and Bush’s invasion of Iraq, believing, according to the information laid before me, there was justification. I now feel ashamed and rather stupid for voicing such opinion as I did, for example, at Turkish dinner tables. I now support the call for an instant withdrawal from Afghanistan, Iraq and that ‘we’ stop being the policemen of the world.

I demand at least a new enquiry into the events of 9/11. I ask that suspicions be addressed regarding those THREE steel structured buildings being blown-up by controlled explosions. I question whether the destruction of those 3 buildings was caused solely by aeroplane collision; it seems unlikely that fire could have pulverised such steel structured buildings. I call upon editors of all media outlets; including local Bury, Diss and Thetford newspapers, to stand up and be counted; to do their duty and as Churchill voiced his concerns over the Third Reich, for us to voice our concerns over a similar movement active today, but wearing a different face.

I do not know the whole truth. How could I? But, I do know our politicians and media are presenting daily tosh and nonsense; I demand a re-evaluation of the path our society is taking today. Our children are tomorrow’s future and we must ensure they realise a peaceful and healthy future.

Yes, I am so happy Arsene Wenger is the manager of Arsenal; mum is Norfolk-Suffolk gal, but dad is from London and I am inherently an Arsenal fan like my dad and his dad before him.

As for UFO's – I love them! There was a significant UFO case at nearby Rendlesham Forest about which Georgina Bruni (1947 – 19 January 2008) had a book You Can't Tell The People published in hardback by Sidgwick & Jackson in November 2000 and paperback by Pan Macmillan in November 2001. The title comes from a quotation by Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister at the time of the events, who told the author in 1997 at a cocktail party: "UFOs! You must get your facts right and you can't tell the people". Just ask Paul Hellyer, the ex Defence Minister of Canada; while he's still alive. Surely, as any sensible military Chief of Staff would do, we should have a peaceful and rational policy for ET contact – just in case. Indeed, the answer for all of us can only be love, peace and to understand the concept of living at a higher vibration... Everything that exists is an energy field, a unique vibrational pattern of energy created by thought and emotion. All that exists is the same energy, but these infinite patterns create infinite forms, just as water can manifest as liquid, clouds, steam and ice. They look and feel very different, but they are still water in different forms. Some energy patterns manifest as the human body, others the human mind, still others the birds, trees, insects, water, sky and air. At the level of pure energy everything is connected to everything else. There is no us and them, only we and ultimately "I".

Turkey has been a big influence for me. Their national slogan is, as bequeathed by the man who founded the Turkish Republic in 1923:
Yurtta Barış, Dunyada Barış - Peace at Home, Peace in the World.

In 1930 Ataturk wrote:
"Freedom consists of man's ability to do what he thinks and desires without any influence or intervention by others. This is the broadest definition of the concept. Mankind has never attained liberty to this extent and never will because as is known, men are creations of nature and nature itself is not absolutely free either; it is subject to universal laws."

I trust you enjoy this exhibition. Thank you to the community of Redgrave for allowing me this opportunity in this wonderful venue; an example for us all. Congratulations Redgrave.

Best wishes,
Ned Pamphilon
(girl's name PAM, boy's name PHIL, they bang a gong, get it ON, as in T Rex)