The painting is divided into several parallel stories. Firstly, there is an admiral standing on a globe. He has travelled the world and now he is coming home to his Queen – bringing candies as a gift. At some point, his suitcase opens and candies start flying all over the painting. The admiral is also holding a balloon with a heart on it and a phrase mind the gap – which symbolizes both caution and love at the same time. In the central part of the painting, there is a tube train. From the text on its wagon and the tube station sign, we can conclude that the train goes straight to Paradise. Though there are many wagons, only one door is open and all of the passengers are trying to get in because they know that the door will close soon and the train will continue its journey to paradise. There is a biblical symbolism here – the scene represents believers’ desire to enter the doors of paradise and, at the same time, their awareness of the fact that these doors are narrow and small. Beyond the tube train, there is a girl on a swing wearing a helmet of a London police officer – she is a symbol of a guardian angel. The background of all the stories is a map of the London Underground. There are also six three-dimensional objects which are an essential part of the composition: a globe, a necklace, gems on the crown, a lollipop, a rope holding the balloon, chains of the swing.

THE PAINTING HAS BEEN PAINTED OVER THE FRAME                 

EXTRA MATERIALS USED TO CREATE THE WORK: a globe, gems on the crown, a lollipop, a rope holding the balloon, chains of the swing.