samantha beau

The Secret Keyhole

The challenge for this art piece was fun and stretching.

It stretches back many years before the Covid era. I was in Rome catching up with friends, after being in Venice for Carnivale.

It was spring and as always Roma is full of surprises.

My friend, Maurizio, who has his own cucina in central Rome (and knows everyone), introduced me to a couple or art curators.

Arriving late into Roma I really thought I would be in bed at 9pm. Silly silly idea as Rome only comes to life after nightfall.

An adventure unfolded.

We went off to an art exhibition opening at midnight!!!

It would never happen in Australia so you can imagine my intrigue, zest and adoration of all that is not inline with normal and routine.

Off a few of us go, exploring. Artists, real artists challenging the way we see the world and our beliefs. This is the tribe I want to play with.

Fast forward to a few months ago…

It is 2021

I am in Australia. My government has told me I can not travel. I can not leave my state, and if I dare to leave the country I may not get back in.

Australia has been likened to nazi Germany and I agree.

The atrocities, the militant control, the fines, the rations, the propaganda, the threats are appalling and in Australia are still 18 months in, and many are still blindsided.

People are told vaccinating will free up their options, let them keep their jobs, allow them to see dying relatives, but that changes every day.

Now compliant people are told you wasted your time, you gave up your health, now we want you to get MORE vaccinations. The state of safety is long gone in Australia.

So, I receive an email from my friend Carolina, would you like to be in this exhibition? We would love an international artist.

YESS!!!!! I say.

This helps me transcend the rubbish going on here.

The brief is:

T H E G O L D E N R A T I O A R TE X H I B I T I O N The international exhibition invites you to be inspired by the golden ratio, divine and mathematical representation of beauty, to challenge your creativity, emotions and soul. Encourages you to create your “Golden Masterpiece”, a fusion of your unique style and this universal canon. The collective therefore intends to celebrate the power of the creative and artistic act as a free interpretation and pure passionate choice, indelible to divine proportion.

I research Fibonacci, I study him, I listen to podcasts, I fall in-love.

I fall in love for those moments when mother nature commands all in the world – she knows…. She has been guiding us for years and she knows the rules.

Applying Fibonnaci sequence to my piece and thoughts, I recall a time when I was in Rome. The time in 2019. (I visit Rome regularly)

It was on this trip in 2019 and I was only in town for a few days that I discovered the Secret Keyhole.

I met up with a friend and he is passionate about Rome. Like most Romans.

“Have you ever seen the keyhole?” He asked. What keyhole? Where? I must go and find this secret keyhole.

The real tourism path of Rome lies in the alleys, in the stories, behind the keyholes.

He gives me the vague yet accurate directions.

“Go past circus maximus, up the hill, past the orange orchard, up the top of the hill you will find a big door. Look though the keyhole. Then you will see the answer.”

Off I went…. past circus maximus, up the hill, past the orange orchard and I did find a big door. When I looked through this door, I was overwhelmed with the silence and realisation.

This was the keyhole….

Lined up either side of the pathway were pine trees. As your eye looked beyond you could see in full view The Vatican.

Could this be so? So symmetrical. So perfect.

This is the story behind my painting. The acknowledgement to the Italian mathematicians who have helped us understand perfection and nature. This is for you Roma!

Tanti Baci, Sam xx