Ryoanji, the temple of the Peaceful Dragon, houses one of Japan’s most renowned gardens. The garden contains fifteen stones but it’s impossible to see them all at once. In the way of Zen, the garden signifies that perfection through the pursuit of viewing all the stones simultaneously is unattainable. Visitors can only observe from a distance as they are forbidden to walk among the stones. What we cannot see and touch seems more captivating, a type treasure; we can observe, but only enter through our minds.

Stephen’s artworks descend into the Ryoanji garden itself and are meditations on the treasures of the unattainable that might be found there. The works depict imaginary spaces, forms, events, journeys and narratives. They attempt to acknowledge that we are living in, and navigating, a world that is deeply imperfect. The rocks represent silence and inner strength; havens for peace in adversity. The artworks are made using photography, painting, precision drawing and digital layering.