Thornton Walker continues to explore the subject of a simple Chinese bowl (sometimes alone, sometimes in an isolated arrangement) set in an abstract and seemingly random background whose presence is, nevertheless just as concrete as the delicately painted but solid bowl. The muted colour backgrounds are densely layered with drips and washes and sometimes include enigmatic symbols or are overlaid with fragments of handwritten text (often relating to Buddhist scripts). The bowls are distinct and unique individuals, their substance confirmed by the shadows which they cast on their uncertain surroundings. However they have a presence beyond that of mere inanimate objects. They assume the significance of devotional objects, offered up for meditation.

The paintings are emblematic of Walker’s personal interest in Eastern philosophy. They are accessible as metaphors for order, creation and a life at odds with the forces of chaos. Walker prefers not to be too analytical about his work: “I like the ambiguity, the big question mark that hovers above the process”