“The boy with the golden heart” is a painting about time, fear, and love. The figure in this work is my son. When he was very young, we realised that at times his heart would beat far too fast. After many medical tests, the doctors explained that there was an electrical impulse looping inside his heart — an extra electrical pathway that made his heart race. They told us that when he was older, they would need to cut and burn that pathway through a procedure, so his heart could work normally.
That knowledge terrified me. I was constantly worried about him. I couldn’t sleep properly. I couldn’t eat. Time felt heavy, loud, and unforgiving. I remember painting this piece during that period, thinking of the children’s game Operation— carefully opening a body, steady hands, no mistakes allowed. In this painting, I am operating on my own son, trying to protect him, trying to make sure he would be alright.
The exposed body and visible organs speak about vulnerability. The scissors near the heart represent that medical intervention — the moment when something must be cut in order for life to continue safely. The words tic, toc are not just about time passing; they are the sound of his heart beating strong and with rhythm.
There is a print of my hand on his body. That is me telling him, everything is going to be ok. From his head, his hair spreads like golden clouds — a symbol of his beautiful mind, his imagination, his light.
This painting comes from fear, but also from deep love. It is about watching time pass while protecting something more precious than your own heart.
— MAAS
"Technique painting: Acrylic, Oil, Tempera, Chalk, Oil Pastels on Canvas and spray paint on canvas 40" by 32"
“The boy with the golden heart” is a painting about time, fear, and love. The figure in this work is my son. When he was very young, we realised that at times his heart would beat far too fast. After many medical tests, the doctors explained that there was an electrical impulse looping inside his heart — an extra electrical pathway that made his heart race. They told us that when he was older, they would need to cut and burn that pathway through a procedure, so his heart could work normally.
That knowledge terrified me. I was constantly worried about him. I couldn’t sleep properly. I couldn’t eat. Time felt heavy, loud, and unforgiving. I remember painting this piece during that period, thinking of the children’s game Operation— carefully opening a body, steady hands, no mistakes allowed. In this painting, I am operating on my own son, trying to protect him, trying to make sure he would be alright.
The exposed body and visible organs speak about vulnerability. The scissors near the heart represent that medical intervention — the moment when something must be cut in order for life to continue safely. The words tic, toc are not just about time passing; they are the sound of his heart beating strong and with rhythm.
There is a print of my hand on his body. That is me telling him, everything is going to be ok. From his head, his hair spreads like golden clouds — a symbol of his beautiful mind, his imagination, his light.
This painting comes from fear, but also from deep love. It is about watching time pass while protecting something more precious than your own heart.
— MAAS
"Technique painting: Acrylic, Oil, Tempera, Chalk, Oil Pastels on Canvas and spray paint on canvas 40" by 32"
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