Hibiscus

In Sudan — South Sudan — Hibiscus, part of the PEACE series, John Black reflects on division within a shared origin through the image of a single flower split across two canvases. Presented as a diptych, the work embodies tension and separation. The hibiscus, traditionally associated with both regions, is divided yet remains visually continuous, suggesting a unity that persists beneath conflict. Layered with transparent acrylic and engraved with the word “peace” in Arabic, the surface refracts light and destabilizes perception. The image shifts between cohesion and fracture, reflecting peace as something both present and unresolved.