Harold David - The Nine Lives of a Tulip, 2025 - Mixed media on canvas - 133x160cm framed

This artwork is from Harold David's solo exhibition The Sound of Air.

In the dim light and quiet serenity of early morning, Harold David leaves for his daily walk through the bush, near his home in the Blue Mountains. Alone with his thoughts, quietly observing the changing air, Harold finds a sense of calm and clarity. These encounters with the sounds, sights and smells of nature serve as a constant reminder of the preciousness of life and the vital importance of beauty and creativity in a time fraught with division and othering.

The Sound of Air is a vibrant body of work which explores the potential of stillness - the emotional power of the invisible and intangible. In these paintings, Harold explores the feelings that surface whilst wandering the bush, when he feels most present and connected to his creative purpose. Bringing this energy back to his studio, he acts intuitively and paints with no preconceived outcomes in mind.

The resulting paintings utilise a diverse colour palette and expansive mark-making vocabulary, moving seamlessly between constructed forms and broad expanses of colour; carefully rendered details and frenetic, lyrical movements. Eyes emerge from these compositions in various forms, returning our gaze as the viewer and inviting us to look more deeply. As we observe Harold’s inner world through his rich creativity, we are asked not to ignore the troubles of the world, but to also remember its inherent beauty - to embrace a moment of stillness and listen to the sound of the air.

Artwork location: Sydney