The Kindest Thing

The Kindest Thing is a figurative painting in oil on unstretched, unframed canvas. Made during a three-month residency at Entabeni Urban Farm in Knysna with SAFFCA, the work is part of a series inspired by mycorrhizal fungal networks: the underground systems connecting trees and plants. Drawing a parallel between ecological and human connection, the series asks what we stand to lose as AI companions, deepfakes, and manufactured intimacy threaten genuine intimacy. This particular painting is an exploration of platonic male friendships. Sometimes the kindest thing is to be there for friends regardless of societal expectations of male connection.