Martin Webb At Zza’s. Oct 3. 2009
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Statement by Martin Webb:
“Like many people viewing these pictures, I arrived at the East Bay from somewhere else. Many of us may continue our journeys to another somewhere else ‐ we are still a largely migratory species. It seems odd and incongruous that “The Immigration Issue” is such a large political entity whilst people’s individual migration stories are each unique and the sum of many small personal dramas. The paths that our lives follow tend to be the result of rational decisions, accidents, temptations, failures, luck, trial and error, intellect and intuition. The same can be said of the way the images in these paintings take shape. This group of pictures result from thinking about migration and immigration, and particularly about the personal journeys that people make. They’re populated by a cast that includes hopeful day‐laborers, forgotten coal miners, and elusive coyotes caught in fragmented narratives in fragmented landscapes. When looking at the work it may be useful to know that I grew up in an English town where coal was mined until Mrs. Thatcher shut down both the mines and the town. I left for Art School, trained as a painter, taught, travelled and found my way to the Bay where I worked with art and concrete. I spent a lot of time on construction sites and more time than anyone should at Home Depot. “
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