Kathrin Longhurst While the World Looks Away 8th July 2025 - 24th July 2025

Paradise Lost 2025, oil and mixed media on linen, framed, 121cm x 121cm

"In 'Paradise Lost', I imagine a world unravelling - one shaped by environmental collapse, political inaction, and growing inequality. The painting reflects the anxiety many of us carry: a sense that the future is no longer something we can count on.

The work is raw and stripped back. I use a muted, almost monochrome palette, and materials that show wear - torn paper, rough textures, surfaces that look damaged or worn down. These marks of decay mirror the damage being done to our planet, and to the social fabric that’s meant to hold us together.

At the centre is a young woman in military uniform. She stands in the rubble - part soldier, part survivor - a figure shaped by crisis. She represents lost innocence, but also resilience. For me, she speaks to the way women, and especially marginalised women, are often left to carry the heaviest burdens when systems fail.

This painting isn’t just about loss. It’s about what we’re still fighting for. When those in power look away, artists - and women - don’t have that luxury. We keep bearing witness."