The bitter end

HIGHLY COMMENDED

2023

carved Huon pine

98 x 20 x 20 cm

In nautical terms, the bitter end is defined as the very end of the anchor cable where it connects to the ship. If a ship finds itself with its anchor cable paid out to this point, it is almost certainly in peril.

This single, vertical entity is indicative of the feeling, whether warranted or not, of being alone. Out of place. Lost. At the end of your tether. And in the wake of a Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide it seems to stand taller than it should. Standing as a warning or a reminder. As an indication that all is not well.

A life in the service can leave scars and, whether you can see them or not, left untreated they can fester and turn into a truly horrible thing. The bitter end is a reality for way too many veterans.