Phantasmal Gallery
Phantasmal Gallery
Poppy Maby
Through the Tunnel
20.4 cm x 25.4 cm
£90
Oil and acrylic on canvas.
With this painting, I wanted to capture a sense of the unreal in a real setting. It recalls a walk from over the summer in which the emptiness of the countryside was interrupted by a lone roe deer in a nearby field. Spotting her was one of those ‘don’t move’ moments. It felt like she’d came from nowhere, and then seemingly disappeared into nowhere, like something from a dream.
In adding my own spin on the event, I added a doorway to this dream world. I intended for there to be ambiguity within the role of the hand- is it releasing these deer into the world or is it instead reaching out to catch them?
A Little Bit About The Artist
A Statement From The Artist
I am a surrealist artist primarily using acrylic and oil paint to depict the strange narratives of unreal worlds. Inspired by motifs of time and childhood, I try to create worlds that sit on the cusp between dreams and nightmares, exploring the fine line between both. Fascinated by viewers responses to the narratives and the various explanations for the work, I attempt to capture a sense of nonsense in my paintings, leaving a scattering of clues for the viewer to piece together in whichever way they decide.
Tell us about a dream you've had.​
I can't usually remember my dreams well, but the ones I remember fragments of best are where things feel almost real. In a recent dream, I explored my old school while it was empty, but I had to walk down a weirdly long staircase to exit. My most memorable dream, (probably closer to a nightmare really), I had when I was about six years old; all of my toys slowly crept up the hallway, getting closer and closer to my room. I remember it feeling very intense.
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What's your favourite movie or tv show?
​Maybe Doctor Who or What we do in the Shadows, anything that's a bit time-travel-y or supernatural-y is my cup of tea!
​​​​What is your biggest influence on your practice?
The two biggest influences to my work are found objects, and Kitsch as a subject matter. I'm always striving for my work to have a sort of found feel in itself, influenced by my many trips to second-hand shops over the years.​
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