The Sum Of Its Parts

This collection takes its title from Aristotle’s famous phrase, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts”. I’m interested in how certain mental states, such as awe or overwhelm, can be broken down into small, manageable pieces, yet when experienced collectively, become something expansive and difficult to process.

In these works, the square is used as a repeated building block. Through accumulation, spacing and variation, this simple form is pushed into different configurations that explore how complexity grows out of repetition. At times the patterns are uncomplicated and flowing, at other times they feel more dense or visually loaded. Some utilise a bright, clashing palette, while others lean into colour relationships drawn from the world around us.

The intention isn’t to dictate what should be felt, but to leave space for varying responses — from quiet reflection to visual overload. The square functions as a grounding device, a reminder that even the most overwhelming feelings can be broken down into smaller, more manageable elements. And despite how layered the composition becomes, it always begins and ends with that single simple unit: the square.