The Sea of Forgetfulness

CHALOM. AKA Mike Lane

In scripture it says that : "To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows saving he that receives it."

So, the Phillip Island based mark-maker asked God to tell him his secret name and the name CHALOM was spoken to him in a dream. It is a Hebrew word meaning "Dreamer".

The artist’s practice consists of visually expressing dreams and meditations, where he layers written blessings, prophecies and scriptures with mostly found or recovered materials and media, embedded bible pages, pencilled notes and gestural strokes with oil sticks, spray paint and carpenters pencils. Beyond the haphazard backgrounds, brushes or tools are rarely used, just hands and fingers employing scrawly texts, scribbles, abstract and vaguely figurative forms and motifs.

CHALOM’s prolific work is a deeply spiritual practice, and he loves to write blessings and prophecies, hidden in under-paintings for the viewer to experience as mysteries and positive energetic flow, intended to shift the atmosphere in the spaces where the works are hung.