working class

  • “There’s nothing as unsophisticated as a snob.”

    RAY MONDAY

    “Nothing Is Too Good For Ordinary People’ 

    BERTHOLD LUBELKIN

    This collection of reverse glass & gold gilded paintings are inspired by architecture present  in East London’s housing estates, also the architecture of the housing estates in inner city Melbourne / Narrm.

    In East London specifically the Cranbrook Estate designed by by Soviet Russian architect Berthold Lubetkin who pioneered modernist design in Britain in the 1930s.

    In Melbourne the Flemington housing estate in Melbourne which became a fascination to Ray Monday archirecturaly and socially after it suffered social class discrimination during the cities lockdown periods.

    This body of work follows directly on from the Estate designs within Doomsday Preppers collection by by Ray Monday for House of Pineapple her own interior brand.

    Estate formed cross disciplinary works resulting in designs for fabrics, wallpapers, textiles and archival prints.

    Ray Monday says…

    WORKING CLASS is a subject deep and dear to my heart, series 01 is the start of a new project which will span the next decade and roll in and out of different mediums, celebrating working class culture and challenging the demonisation of this segment of society.

    Included in WORKING CLASS series 01 / hand painted original 60’s vacuum / new open and limited edition photographic archival prints featuring the tower blocks of Collingwood 3066 / 3 mini high rise sculptures made with internal parts of original 1960’s fires, set in clay and resting under glass domes / selection of gold gilded glass paintings, all gold gilded + mixed media pieces which include some photographic work sitting alongside the tarnished gold gild painting.

    The gold leaf in many of these paintings has been scratched and tampered with to manipulate it’s clean surface mimicking the aesthetic and social erosion often found in and around social housing blocks.

    The limited edition artwork

    WHITE SLICE and open edition

    BREAD +HONEY = MONEY can be found on the art prints page. These two artworks question societies ignorance towards working class communities and also highlight the reality of food insecurity, they include digital and photographic work from Ray Monday noting architectural features and design details often found in and around these tower blocks.

    “There’s nothing as unsophisticated as a snob.”

    RAY MONDAY

in more detail…

  • Working class investigates a society filled with class division.

    This collection engages the debate about diversity and shines a light on the path of lies that lead people down in its attempt to demonise the working classes.

    Ray Monday celebrates the deep cultural wealth held within working class cultures worldwide in a range of paintings on glass and 3D works.

    The heart and soul of working class cultures is indicated by the use of 24 carat gold leaf running through each mixed media artwork, colour choices mimic the colours often found in council buildings.

    Ray Monday has experienced the emotional and cultural wealth, which filled many of these high rises.

  • The web of social construct and how this affects people's ideas of what class anyone is, purely based on knowing anyone’s cultural and eco-social backgrounds is always challenged by my own personal experiences.

    Ray Monday has a passion for tackling the subject of class division, intermixed with a love of working class aesthetics.

    Working Class 02 will show in London Autumn 2026

  • Why is the idea of power from monetary wealth and prestige so important ?

    How many times do we all hear that people are so shocked by someone’s behaviour and why?

    Because that person came from a ‘good family’ / a middle or upper class family.

  • Whilst working on this new body of work, the invasion of Ukraine began.

    Housing these refugees, educating these communities requires a deeper understanding of working class cultures worldwide.

    Within housing blocks live so many ‘good families’ with so much to offer.

    The mixed media exhibition included glass art gold gilded paintings, mini sculptures and photographic archival art prints.

    20% of all profit from Working Class 01 goes to Amnesty International.

working class 01

gold gilded glass paintings

warm inside

  • Look up, we're home 01

    art object. glass dome. clay. internal fire part

    250.00

  • Look up we're home Block BC

    Glass domed mini sculpture / double tower block.

    250.00 SOLD

  • Tower Block BC

    High rise homes / mini sculpture made from internal fire parts and clay, set in a glass dome.

    250.00

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POWER VACUUM

Creating a physical representation of the term “power vacuum”. Using an original vacuum cleaner hand painted with markings across it’s base to signify police converging on Flemington estate during the covid 19 pandemic. In times of conflict, police and military forces converge on lower social class communities to bully, marginalise and kill, whilst those in power do nothing.

The term power vacuum, also known as a power void and is an analogy between a physical vacuum to the political condition

"when someone in a place of power, has lost control of something and no one has replaced them."

The situation can occur when a government has no identifiable central power or authority. The physical analogy suggests that in a power vacuum, other forces will tend to "rush in" to fill the vacuum as soon as it is created, perhaps in the form of an armed militia or insurgents, military coup, warlord or dictator.

Wikipedia

I was told once my Grandmother Olga painted on glass, it’s awkward, there are no rubbers. It all happens in reverse. There is no escape.

Combining glass painting with glass gold gilding forces me to take things slowly.

A simple breath in a quiet room can move a loose sheet of pure 24 carat gold in the wrong direction, fragile in form the fine gold sheet bend backwards with a will of their own. This more intricate work allows me to be present in my present moments which for myself, holds great value.

Whilst gold gilding I am committed to using only traditional tools and traditional materials, from squirrel haired brushes to melting my own size capsules, the entire process is precision based, time consuming and a labour of love.

WORKING CLASS is a subject deep and dear to my heart, series 01 is the start of a new project which will span the next decade and roll in and out of different mediums.

Included in WORKING CLASS series 01

Hand painted original vacuum cleaner (not for sale)

Two framed giclee fine art photographic prints.

6 mini high rise sculptures made with internal parts of original 1960’s wall fires, set in clay under a glass domes.

A selection of pure glass paintings, all gold gilded with some mixed media pieces which include some photographic work.

The gold leaf in many of these paintings has been scratched, mottled and tampered with to manipulate it’s clean surface to mimic aesthetic and social erosion.

The artworks WHITE SLICE and BREAD +HONEY = MONEY can be found on the art print page, these two artworks specifically question white middle class societies ignorance towards working class communities, celebrate the architectural might of social housing and highlight the reality of food insecurity.

All the glass artworks focus on social housing high rises with the gold gild manipulated and broken up to offer a representation of the patina found on these blocks.

The collector who bought pebbledash said that he now looked at the high rises he walks past everyday in a new light, as beautiful homes rather than eith simply architectural pieces or something to look down upon, this made me very happy.

Working Class 02 is currently in process and will show in 2026.

  • British made

    Heritage and tradition are both important when creating work like this, My gilding tools are from my stomping ground London, British made like myself.

  • 24 carat gold

    I use only 24 carat gold leaf loose & pressed sheets of varying sizes. The loose sheets require deep focus and are cut on a velvet pad with a traditional gold leaf cutting knife. These gold sheets are incredibly fragile, crumpling up into an un-useable ball with any mis-directed exhalation.

  • size capsules

    Choosing traditional methods throughout my gilding process plays an important role in my work. Size capsules are split, measured and heated up at the exact right temperature with the exact right amount of water in my treasured Italian cooking pot, this takes time and adds to the pre gild meditative process.

  • cut fingers

    I often cut my fingers and arms with small glass edges, it’s part of the hands on experience when working with glass.

  • Squirrel hair

    All brushes used are traditionally crafted brushes made from squirrel hair, the relationship between these brushes and the gold is tender.

  • gold leaf

    I worked with gold leaf on paper when embellishing a digital artwork made to support the fight for freedom of the press, lead by Julian Assange but my love affair with gold only really comes to light when I work quietly with glass.