For several years, my practice has explored the relationship between opposing forces—hard and soft, masculine and feminine, and ideas of self and other. Rather than treating these as fixed opposites, I am interested in the spaces where they overlap and create something new.
The paintings in Holding the Centre continue this investigation through assembled forms that exist somewhere between bodies, symbols, and architecture. Shapes, textures, and colours push and pull against one another, each competing to come forward. Meaning emerges through these relationships, much like the colour interactions explored by Josef Albers.
The search for balance remains central to my work. The process is like a game or a musical exercise, guided by self-imposed rules where harmony develops through the continual negotiation of opposing forces. Some decisions cannot be undone and must instead be resolved through the choices that follow.
The exhibition title, Holding the Centre, reflects an idea that has become increasingly significant to me. We live in a time of fragmentation, where certainty is often found at the extremes. The middle ground can seem fragile or difficult to sustain, yet it is precisely this space between opposing positions that interests me most. It is where understanding, dialogue, and the possibility of making better sense together can emerge.
— Ces McCully, 2026
