Whakaari White Island Bones & Stones - Painting by A.M. Rush
This painting is a quiet response to a violent moment in recent history. On December 9, 2019, Whakaari White Island erupted without warning while tourists were standing on it— an eruption that claimed lives and left many others with lifelong injuries. The event shook the nation and raised serious questions about risk, responsibility, and the illusion of safety. It was, as Alison describes it, “a tragedy that should never have happened.”
In this piece, she turns to paint not for answers, but for reflection. At the centre lies a human skull—its shape unmistakable, yet softened by time and tone. Around it, stones rest like silent witnesses. And from within the skull blooms lavender: a symbol of remembrance, healing, and the persistence of beauty even in the aftermath of destruction.
There is no chaos here—only stillness. The kind of stillness that follows sorrow. The kind that comes when words no longer suffice. The composition is stripped back, deliberate, and reverent. It doesn’t speak loudly. It simply acknowledges.
Whakaari White Island Bones & Stones is a tribute to those who were lost, and those left behind. It’s a meditation on fragility, failure, and the quiet hope that something living might still rise from the ash.
This painting is a quiet response to a violent moment in recent history. On December 9, 2019, Whakaari White Island erupted without warning while tourists were standing on it— an eruption that claimed lives and left many others with lifelong injuries. The event shook the nation and raised serious questions about risk, responsibility, and the illusion of safety. It was, as Alison describes it, “a tragedy that should never have happened.”
In this piece, she turns to paint not for answers, but for reflection. At the centre lies a human skull—its shape unmistakable, yet softened by time and tone. Around it, stones rest like silent witnesses. And from within the skull blooms lavender: a symbol of remembrance, healing, and the persistence of beauty even in the aftermath of destruction.
There is no chaos here—only stillness. The kind of stillness that follows sorrow. The kind that comes when words no longer suffice. The composition is stripped back, deliberate, and reverent. It doesn’t speak loudly. It simply acknowledges.
Whakaari White Island Bones & Stones is a tribute to those who were lost, and those left behind. It’s a meditation on fragility, failure, and the quiet hope that something living might still rise from the ash.
This painting is a quiet response to a violent moment in recent history. On December 9, 2019, Whakaari White Island erupted without warning while tourists were standing on it— an eruption that claimed lives and left many others with lifelong injuries. The event shook the nation and raised serious questions about risk, responsibility, and the illusion of safety. It was, as Alison describes it, “a tragedy that should never have happened.”
In this piece, she turns to paint not for answers, but for reflection. At the centre lies a human skull—its shape unmistakable, yet softened by time and tone. Around it, stones rest like silent witnesses. And from within the skull blooms lavender: a symbol of remembrance, healing, and the persistence of beauty even in the aftermath of destruction.
There is no chaos here—only stillness. The kind of stillness that follows sorrow. The kind that comes when words no longer suffice. The composition is stripped back, deliberate, and reverent. It doesn’t speak loudly. It simply acknowledges.
Whakaari White Island Bones & Stones is a tribute to those who were lost, and those left behind. It’s a meditation on fragility, failure, and the quiet hope that something living might still rise from the ash.
Artwork Details
Year: 2025
Size: 760x610x35mm
Ready to hang: Yes
Frame: No
Materials: Acrylic paint on stretched canvas.
Viewing & Pick-Up
Viewing and pick-up available from G16 Studios, Upper Hutt, New Zealand.
Please contact us to arrange a time or see open times.
Shipping & Delivery
Ships from: New Zealand
Packaging: Carefully packaged to prevent damage
International Shipping: Available (check rates at checkout)