Vine Bridge

The Story of Vine Bridge

Vine Bridge, 76cm x 101cm is a mixed media piece born from my transformative journey to Japan’s Iya Valley where I crossed the ancient Kazurabashi vine bridge – a precarious structure suspended over a deep gorge, woven from natural vines that sway with every step. This experience ignited the core metaphor of the work: the bridge is a symbol of courage, the vital force that propels us forward into the unknown, or leaves us stranded in complacency.

 In the piece, the central panel evokes the bridge’s woven vines, with rungs, some broken and missing, that transition from muted, ashen greys at the base – representing the familiar safety of inaction – to radiant golds at the top, suggesting the rewards that await those who dare to cross. Flanking this pathway are swirling voids on either side, embodying raging dangers that lurk in our personal abysses – be they fear of failure, societal judgement, or the chaos of change. I’ve built my life making such crossings, and this work is an invitation for the viewer to summon the bravery to traverse and claim their own golden horizons.

Through textured construction cements, acrylic glazes, wooden batons and metallic patinas, Vine Bridge captures the tactile tension of risk and reward, urging viewers to reflect on their own thresholds. What bridges must we cross to evolve, and what do we forfeit by staying safe?

Note: this piece has been designed in such a way that welcomes human touch - it has been coated to withstand interaction, so the viewer is invited to experience this artwork visually and physically.