Black Ice
Black Ice exchanges the traditional pristine whiteness of icebergs for industrial tar’s lustrous, metallic blacks and smoky tonal browns. The (stabilized) tar's glossy character creates a reflective surface that mimics the glistening of ice, while simultaneously alluding to its decay.
The melting effect is enhanced through intricate dripping patterns and pooled areas, evoking disintegration of the polar ice caps and consequent rising sea levels.
For me, the beautiful yet almost oppressive quality of the toxic medium adds an existential element to the process. These paintings as reminders of the environmental impact of fossil fuels and of the broader consequences of our actions on the natural world.