近幾年當紅的蘇格蘭本土畫家Jack Vettriano。他的畫總是充滿邪惡而俏皮的隱喻:在海灘茶會的那副叫Elegy of a Dead Admiror(為已故愛慕者的輓歌),擁吻的戀人題為Price of Truth(真相的代價),男子挽木頭模特叫做Altar of Memory(記憶的更變),一曲華爾茲則是Dance me to the End of Love (舞到愛盡頭)……
每每經過city artshop,雖然鍾意其意境風格,卻只不過莞爾一笑繼續趕路。直到為兩幅畫作傾心駐足:Birth of a Dream和Black and Pearls (夢想之誕生;黑色與珍珠)。
男子背對觀眾,望著他面前藍色的噴氣式飛機。幾乎可以感到那機器蓄勢待發的力量,將載男子滿注心血的夢想去傲遊,直掛雲帆濟滄海那種。飛行是人類永遠的夢。一如漢娜阿倫特(Hannan Adrent 1906-1975)在【人之境況】(The Human Condition 1958)再版序言中道:阿姆斯特朗登月是人類叛離地球,逆自身存在而生的第一步。人哪裡能活在當下,人類這種動物永遠活在未來——某種正值建構的【可能性】之中。
This is one of seven paintings inspired by the life and achievements of Sir Malcolm Campbell, who gained the world land speed record at various times during the 1920's and 1930's.
The paintings were originally commissioned by Sir Terence Conran for his Bluebird Club in London.
In August 2007, Bluebird at Bonneville, was sold at Sotheby's for £486,000, the second highest price ever achieved for a Vettriano at auction.