In response to 100 Notions from a Nation of Two by Vic and Sarah McEwan, we look to analyse our own ‘nation of two’ and the complexity that comes with living and working under one roof, and in particular the struggle for equilibrium when creating artwork.

We have created a miniature version of our home, a set – the platform for our working formula – to go under the spotlight. Seemingly tranquil and unassuming from the outside, on the inside an intimate and heated debate takes place – the fight for independence and compromise.

As artists we find that there is never a time when you can measure your success, there is no milestone or certificate that declares that you are now an “artist” in the same way possible in other professions. Our careers are at the mercy of a few good people with very little resources, and even fewer people with endless resources and littered with people only interested in taking credit for your ideas.

At times the battle to remain in the arts seems futile -but – we are determined to keep making work that challenges the audience to see the world from a different point of view for a few moments, and perhaps make a difference to their lives. So, we will continue to put enormous amounts of pressure on ourselves, we will continue to be as professional as we can and create work of a high quality even though it that may only reach a small audience.

This work portrays a moment of frustration in a confronting form. We invite you on a voyeuristic journey to the painful but rewarding depths of creativity and the constant search for appreciation and desperation to succeed.