On Boxing Day 2004 two newlywed friends of mine, Alex and Fleur, were honeymooning on the waterfront at Arugam Bay in Sri Lanka.

That morning the infamous Indian Ocean tsunami struck. Alex and Fleur were half asleep in their hut when the wave smashed through it and literally picked them up and washed them inland. Amazingly they survived with relatively minor injuries and after a perilous few days were back safe and home.

The experience deeply affected them and Fleur has taken to paint and canvas as a response. She’s painted a series of large pieces, reimagining herself being washed up in the wave.

The paintings will be exhibited at blank_space on Crown St, Surry Hills, opening this Thursday night the 26th October and open till the 1st November.

See also:

• Fleur’s website
• Alex’s recollection of the tsunami (pdf)
• My blogpost after their wedding (29/11/04)
• A post about Fleur’s show at Lost at E Minor