Although research into chemical herbicides began in the early 20th century, the first major breakthrough was the result of research conducted in both the UK and the US during the Second World War into the potential use of agents as biological weapons. The first modern herbicide, 2,4-D, was first discovered and synthesized by W. G. Templeman at Imperial Chemical Industries. In 1940, he showed that “Growth substances applied appropriately would kill certain broad-leaved weeds in cereals without harming the crops.” By 1941, his team succeeded in synthesizing the chemical. In the same year, Pokorny in the US achieved this as well.
Weedkiller Over Clematis (Oil paint on canvas)
These two paintings above (Weedkiller Over Clematis) were exhibited in the exhibition at Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe, North Devon, UK (3rd September 2007 – 7th October 2007) both images were sold and are in private collections.
Blurb from exhibition: The fashion for gardening, for an asthmatic, is a cruel joke. We have been ‘doing’ the garden at our home and I made the mistake of planting several climbing plants – I now know I have another contact allergy! Yet again concrete is the only true solution to my problems. The larger paintings in this exhibition are based on the colours these climbing plants go when you spray them with weedkiller.
Memories: Renoir, dead birds and rubber gloves, stolen kisses, life, stillness, pouches of Chinese fresh drinking water, broken dreams, lost lovers, onions, sections of discarded fishing nets strewn across the tourist beach, lovers in the darkness groping for the dark, hands first finding spaces, then they find there mark, my father, my ghost, my hopes and dreams, stinking of rotting carcasses, scars, cat scratch, twig scratch, dog nip, fights, electric hand tools, knife slips, broken bottles and broken hearts. [Read More]
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