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Frank Wesley 'Krishna and Radha', watercolour

1982

Held in the collection of Stephen Fearnley who cites Frank Wesley as a key early influence.  

"This watercolour was painted by Frank Wesley for my 21st birthday (1982) It was an unlikely image for Frank as he is best known for his astonishing Christian interpretations. This painting came about from long discussions with Frank about the origins of religious deities and the connection I saw between Pan and Krishna. The drawing alone took 3 months to complete. Another 3 months to paint. Frank Wesley was a prime influence on my creative and philosophical development and consequently my aesthetic is perhaps more eastern than western. Frank opened up a world of content for me sweeping through the ages, different cultures, and religions, from Persian miniatures and poetry, islamic geometry, zen poetry and painting, Japanese architecture and woodblock prints, archetypes and Jung, the world religions, symbolism and ethics. He taught me drawing, watercolour and calligraphy over the 6 years I’d visit him, once a week, after school. It was only after I left home and gone to art school when he told me, that as a young man he was commissioned to make the funereal urn for Ghandi’s ashes."

- Stephen Fearnley, 2014 video interview with dLux MediaArts

Frank Wesley 'Krishna and Radha' 1982, watercolour,
Frank Wesley 'Krishna and Radha' 1982, watercolour, – via i1291.photobucket.com