Land of the Living by Rory Strudwick immerses the viewer in a liminal space where awareness melts into the enveloping warmth of summer sunlight filtering through closed eyelids. Evoking the quiet joy of a midday rest in the park, surrounded by friends, the work celebrates the life-giving energy of the sun and its radiant presence.

Rooted in themes of sun worship and connection to vitality, the painting’s vibrant hues and concentric oval patterns echo the ancient monument of Woodhenge in Wiltshire. Built to align with the summer solstice sunrise, this Neolithic structure is believed to honour the living. Similarly, Land of the Living bridges the viewer to a continuum of existence, connecting all who breathe in and out—both those present and those across the expanse of time.

Through its luminous textures and layered symbolism, the work invites reflection on the cyclical rhythms of life and the shared experience of inhabiting the world under the sun’s eternal gaze.