Inspired by a song by a fantastic band called Circle Takes The Square who I sincerely recommend you go listen to: their website: [link] and their mp3s on HXCMP3.com: [link] This painting is a reaction to the lyrics from their song 'Same Shade As Concrete' from their album 'As The Roots Undo' which is blisteringly good. Anyway, the lyrics that influenced this painting are as follows:

"The faithful say it's beautiful,
it's god's will, but the fool knows what the prophets have seen,
no salvation's impending.
The faithful say its beautiful,
its god's will, let the flood swell
and the bodies that break we'll just float down the river.
Stay tame, soft river, while we weigh our faith, stay sweet,
run softly, sweet river, the fool who wades in doubt will float like concrete.
Come and fill your lungs."

Those of you who know this band will know that there is no way I could capture the intensity of the music in paint so I hope I have at least fallen in the right direction to do them justice.

This is the third piece of the blue trilogy I've been working on and shows the man in the jungle, flood-waters swirling round his legs. As we continue to build on floodplains and tarmac over the soft absorbent ground that would take the fallen rain away, the floods we experience will become more frequent and worse and our concrete jungles will become even more hostile as nature fights back.

Once again: acrylic on thick paper, newspaper and stencil used, border and title added. Conscience depleted.