Reflective Zappa, 2013

In the Autumn of 1972, Frank Zappa and his 'Hot Rats' orchestra gigged in Europe. Whilst in Amsterdam for the following New Year celebrations, I took a photograph of a collage of deteriorating publicity posters, one of which contained an image of Frank Zappa. From this starting point, I developed a series of printed artworks, all of which found buyers.

Frank's 'Zapata' moustache and facial hair were clearly central to this image and are thus the hook upon which this central composition hangs; meanwhile the surrounding visual information had mutated into a decorative Post-Pop miasma. This monochrome screen print is part of a series, more often seen in colour. It was originally displayed in another format for an exhibition in 1974.

Having been filed away for many a year, this print on an aluminium panel was retrieved in 2008 with a view to further development. In 2012, this printed panel was set between a mirror surface and a fine steel mesh reinforced by flexible steel cables, creating a softened, reflective image.

It still needed an extra extension, thus a little later, a wooden frame, created from off-cuts of teak decking and other pieces of wood, was added. This 'sylvan' surround seemed to create a suitable space in which to add my long-time, unused pipe, further emphasising the idea of contemplative reflection.