Panta Rhei pieces

In his 'Panta Rhei' pieces Davis exploits the colour and textural qualities of hand prepared metallic pigments which he transforms on the surface of the painting with chemical reagents. These 'phenomena' paintings are the result of setting up the conditions for the occurrence of chance events, albeit within the boundaries of controlled parameters. While some of the work comprises single surfaces - often in large format - other pieces are produced in modular panels, float mounted on steel sheets to enable choice and comparison. Some of the pieces in this series are seen as having geo- or topographical relationship with the real world and others are perhaps characters, in the manner of 'personages'.

'Panta Rhei' is from Heraclitus meaning 'everything flows' ca. 500 B.C.E.  Heraclitus was a pre-Socratic philosopher who stated that fire was the origin of all things and that permanence is an illusion as all things are in perpetual flux.

The  artist uses pure transition elements as pigments whose propensity for change he exploits to bring about new states. The chemistry of transition elements and their compounds mean that the materials are not stable and have the potential for further development after the artwork has been produced.