91.44cm X 152.4cm, oil paint, sold
This painting is about gossip and the way it works like a Chinese whisper game. Each figure has changed the story just a little.In this painting we see that there is actually no truth left in the end.
You can see that some of the faces have their hand on their cheek pushing their skin in frustration. Each head is as if it is two-faced. Yet they are one, all together in the gossip circle, young/old, all of them.
Look! Their hands also speak, not only the tongue twists the story.
Their heads go up and down as they speak to each other, just like musical notes,to the rhythm and tone of their voices.
Shoulders are painted as if they are all just one unbroken figure. Their sameness of mindset makes them feel powerful, encourages and entertains them.
None of these figures look happy, they are bored and have nothing to do.
I was careful to give each face individual features and expressions including communicating gestures.
There were many people gossiping about me at the time in my life when I made this painting. Every day I would hear or read another false news story or received additional messages demanding explanations for my supposed actions. My reply was silence. Silence is the only possible answer to gossip, answering encourages more gossip.
My mother, who is a tapestry weaver, really liked this painting. She made a beautiful tapestry based on it that is just the same size as the original. It is included here.