"The latest work (see 'Recent work' page) contains pieces which closely refer to some of the more obvious tragedies of the last 100 years. The title of the 'Auschwitz' work deliberately elusive & read as both a possible comment from the oppressor, and/or the oppressed. The terrible guilt of one party coming to the hideous realization, "What have I done (to you)". Or conversely the simple child-like incredulity of the victim, "What have I (ever) done to you?",(to deserve this, in other words). Moreover as read by a viewer of the work it becomes a personal question of how do we relate to events like these, as like members of the human race? Are those who refuse to acknowledge/learn from history condemned to repeat it? Do we recognize that we could possibly carry within ourselves, the same propensity to perpetrate such acts? How is it that things like this have, and continue to happen?. Finally it is a cry of personal frustration & grief in the necessity of having to physically burn the work in order to adequately draw close to the subject at all, without resort to art or pathos. Who am I to presume to comment on this subject? So instead of any overt comment, the work is meant to be simply a monument, a small 'wreath' of personal remembrance to mark this event in my own lifetime. This is also the case with the works 'Hiroshima' & 'Ground zero'. 
One should not read any political or moral inference in the work, rather see it as a personal recognition of a terrible stifled cry of suffering, that too easily can be allowed to fall silent in the memory of the living.
In the work 'The end', I had in mind the first mechanized war (W.W.I), and a reference to the painting "Totes Meer" by Paul Nash. A silent, frigid, endless horizon of death; an unearthly quite,still surface hiding unbearable scenes of suffering and cruelty. The work finally becomes a sort of insight into the possible future of mankind?.
The "Columbia" in 'Falling stars' is a reference to the Space shuttle 'Columbia' which, without warning exploded midair with the loss of all on board. The debris raining down like so many dreadful tears: pouring back down to earth, to rest finally upon the soil, after glistening but for a moment.
Other works have a more prophetic, but equally definitive end, in view. However, do not mistake this inquiry as hopelessness....."

"When you see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors." Matt 24v 33

Stephen Gostt (24/09/09)