60cm x 75cm
Mixed Media on Canvas

In the shadows of history, love like ours has often been hidden, pushed beneath
the surface, forced to exist in secret. This painting is a tribute to the men who
carried the weight of their love in silence, whose intimacy could only be shared in
the hidden corners of society. Sailors, bound by the sea and their desires, found
brotherhood not just in their shared voyages but in the quiet, unspoken
connection of those who loved in defiance of a world that did not understand.
The sailor subculture within the gay community has long been a symbol of both
strength and vulnerability. On the open water, far from the judgments of land,
men could explore their desires, their identities, and their love, if only for fleeting
moments. In these stolen glances and hidden embraces, they created a
sanctuary, a refuge where their love could exist freely, even if just between the
waves.
 
Through this work, I honour those who have navigated, and still, continue to
circumnavigate not just the seas, but the turbulent waters of a society that try to
deny them the right to love openly. It’s a celebration of those who dare to love
when it is dangerous, of the subcultures that still thrive in the shadows, and of the
enduring power of love that refuses to be erased.