Volunteer Insights from the Collection: The Safety of the City

We asked our volunteers to pick their favourite artwork from the collection. Volunteer, Timos, tells us about a pen and ink drawing, The Safety of the City, by artist Eric Fraser. 

Why did you choose this artwork? 

It’s a distinct artwork which combines classic and modern narratives of Britishness and Greekness. It can make people think about their relationship to nature, culture and their very own value system and life plan – navigation in a literal and non-literal sense. 

What does this artwork make you think about? 

The drawing depicts ancient Greek heroes, possibly illustrating an English translation of the Odyssey or the story of Theseus 

If you could, what would you ask the artist? 

Part of the artist’s signature is at the exact spot of where the soldier’s foot would leave a footprint. Is it intentional or by chance? I’d also ask: “Is the boat in the sea arriving or departing?”? 

 Could you tell us about yourself? 

I’m a Gallery Assistant Volunteer at Orleans House Gallery, Twickenham. I was born in a family of Greek origin in the USA (Minneapolis, MN), raised and educated as an Illustrator (BA Camberwell, UAL, Masters in History of Art, Open University) in London, UK. I have a special interest in ancient cultures, modern iconography and mythology. I’m an artist working on new work that demonstrates a novel way of making art. I am at this point experimenting with a range of different media, and I hope to have new work ready by late spring or early summer.