Eden’s Gate, 2025
Origin: Abstract
Synthetic Polymer Paint On Canvas
Triptych 183 x 366 cm
Some paintings arrive with a sense of timing so profound, they feel almost predestined. Michael Whitehead’s latest triptych, Eden’s Gate, is one such work—completed just before Cyclone Albert made landfall in Queensland, as if sealing a moment in time before nature’s force took hold.
Whitehead, known for his mastery of layering and his ability to balance control with spontaneity, has created a work that feels both powerful and poetic. Eden’s Gate began on a deep black background—a void, a starting point, an invitation. From this darkness, warm amber tones emerged, rich and grounding, their presence shaped by bitumen, a material that introduces a raw, elemental resistance. This tension—the push and pull of creation—is at the very heart of the painting.
But Eden’s Gate is not a work of struggle. It is a work of transformation. Over these deep, resistant layers, Whitehead applied sweeping strokes of white and pink with a large brush, fluid and playful. The upper layers bring lightness, movement, and a sense of renewal. The weight of the bitumen remains beneath, anchoring the composition, while above it, the paint moves freely—controlled, yet unrestrained, like a river finding its path.
The result is a painting that pulses with life. It is at once structured and spontaneous, commanding and inviting. One can’t help but feel the echoes of nature’s rhythms in its surface—the storm building, the clearing sky, the quiet after. It speaks of resilience, of cycles, of finding beauty even in resistance.
With Eden’s Gate, Whitehead has delivered a work that is deeply grounded yet expansive in its reach. It is a triptych that invites contemplation, drawing viewers into its textures, its layers, its interplay of tension and release. As Queensland recovers from the storm, this painting stands as a reminder of the delicate balance between force and grace, chaos and serenity—a gate not just to Eden, but to understanding the artistry of nature itself.
Size: Extra Large Paintings
Frame: Unframed
Price Range: $31-$50k
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