The title of this piece references ‘The Towers of Silence’
the third volume in the landmark series of novels by Paul Scott which I
illustrated for The Folio Society during 2009-9.

The composition of the painting is based directly on
Theodore Gericault’s ‘The Raft of the
Medusa’ of 1818-9 a contemporary history painting depicting the aftermath of
the shipwreck of the Méduse in 1816. In painting a contemporary event Gericault
initialted the Romantic movement in painting in France and a break with Neo-
Classical history painting.

Over the course of around twenty years, at first visiting
then living in Barranco de la Abuela in the Los Filabres mountain range in
Almeria Province in the south east of Spain, and as a lifelong bird enthusiast
(not a twitcher) I saw many species of birds not the least of which included
several species of vulture. Above the house, situated at the head of a mountain
valley behind which rose the encircling ridge of 1159 metres that I came to
know as well as the local goatherds. The peak there is called Colina de las
Aguilas (Eagles Peak) and indeed I’ve yet to painting the several types of
Eagles I came to know. One afternoon in spring I came out of the house and saw
a vast spiralling flock above the rocks at the top. I estimated that there were
around one hundred and could see more
arriving as the ridge acted as an arrival route on their migration. With a zoom
lense and as best I could I took some photos but as reference for this painting
they were too far away.

This image stayed with me for several years; vultures on a high
outcrop peering into the valley. And
this is what you see here; a group of twelve vultures of various species
perched looking directly at us the viewer waiting patiently.

Much of my work both alludes to or references art history
while directly addressing the immediate, contemporary world. At the same time
my work is always drawn from personal experience and I try to weave these three
elements together into a cohesive whole.