Anemones and Poppies

In Israel — Palestine — Anemones and Poppies, part of the PEACE series, John Black reflects on coexistence and conflict through two distinct yet related floral symbols. Presented as a diptych, the work embodies tension between parallel identities. The anemone and the poppy—each associated with the region—occupy separate panels while remaining visually interconnected, suggesting both division and proximity. Layered with transparent acrylic and engraved with the word “peace” in Hebrew and Arabic, the surface refracts light and destabilizes perception. The image shifts between separation and continuity, reflecting peace as something fragile, contested, and unresolved.