by David Leigh, POL magazine, published by Gareth Powell, 1975

Paul Bakker's sculptures arouse unwilling curiosities, stir religious antagonisms and demand forthright reactions. Which is quite understandable as they rather resemble a row of tightly swathed and tied corpses awaiting transportation to some mass grave-yard.

They lie in their square, shallow coffins, fixed in attitudes of either violent or peaceful death. Their stilled faces still contain a trace of remembered life, their limbs contorted in the death spasm.

(click image to enlarge)

Painted in Armidale, NSW, during a most unsettled time while sharing a house with three musketeers.

Once a day, better, once a night, before I can start building my dream village with dream studio, before I lie down and snuggle up, I like to stand still and imagine a black hole and enter it a little. Not go in and then imagine love and protection housing there. Very close. That's all I do to touch the Inexplicable and the Infinite.

'Meet the Creator' is held by Brent Harvey, Armidale