Northern Russia has been described as being shrouded in a rare serene stillness and beauty undermined by the decaying presence of evil. As I stepped off the plane on Solovki in December 2004 I experienced a sudden and significant shift in understanding about my cultural place in the world.

On 27th February 2006 I should be stepping off the plane again on Solovki. These are the pressing questions I want to start to explore whilst on Solovki;

What is painting? What is a painting? What do I need in order to make a painting?

How it might it be possible to represent the extraordinary extremes of climate that swings from 24-hour darkness and extreme freezing in winter to 24-hour daylight and extreme heat in summer?

How to represent the chaotic cultural and political history that touches both my own and much wider shared histories?

How to explore my understanding of the fundamental relationships of good and evil in relation to creativity and meaning?