Steven Spazuk paints with fire in a technique he refers to as “fumage,” reinventing traditional artistic approaches. Over the past 16 years, Spazuk has refined this skill –creating exquisitely vivid figures and animals from the residue of his candle’s brushstrokes. He has become an internet sensation, and recently was recruited as a sponsored artist by Zippo. Search for his name on the internet and you will find dozens of videos of him in action. The process is mesmerizing, but it’s not just the concept that strikes viewers, it’s the final product. The draughtsmanship is so remarkable that the works are often mistaken for academic drawings or photography.
Cover Spread Opposite
Up in Smoke, Chickadee 2, 2017
Soot and acrylic on panel, 10 x 8 inches
Hubris (Louis-Vuitton Gas Mask with Blue Jay) (Detail), 2017
Soot, acrylic and collage on paper mounted on panel, 40 inches
Ring around the Rosie (Detail), 2017
Soot, acrylic and collage on paper mounted on panel, 12 inches
Quote from Zippo
Just by the process of working with fire makes me who I am. But the end result is always much more important than the process.
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Steven Spazuk
The title that the artist has chosen for this exhibition speaks strongly about his subject matter.Hubris, beauty, and greed: two inherently selfish characteristics surrounding an objectively pleasant aesthetic virtue, bound by the topic of humanity’s relationship with the natural world. Spazuk expresses his concern for the vulnerability of all species on this planet, which is propelled by our society’s perceived solipsism. As the human population grows on this planet, other animals are disappearing, and our collective hubris and insatiable greed for more resources are squeezing out irreplaceable beauty. The traces of smoke that produce the compositions in Spazuk’s renderings are symbolic of pollution, which comes as a direct result of excessive and irresponsible overconsumption. Life on earth, much like properties of fire, is beautiful yet fleeting. Spazuk’s message conveys that if we can pause to appreciate the beauty around us, we can reevaluate our purpose or attitude regarding our fragile ecosystem.
Fire consumes, warms, and illuminates, but can also bring pain and death; thus, its symbolic meaning varies wildly, depending upon the context of its use. I mostly use it to talk about life’s fragility. Exploring this fragility is the very essence of my work as a fire artist.
Steven Spazuk
Source: Forbes, China (June 5, 2015)
For our exhibition, the artist has been working tirelessly over the past year to produce this entirely new body of 29 artworks. We are thrilled to exhibit Steven Spazuk at Adelson Galleries for our first time, and we look forward to growing our relationship with the artist into the future.
Chickadees on a Fiddlehead, 2017 Soot and acrylic on panel, 36 x 36 inches
Checklist
About to Blow, 2017
Soot and acrylic on panel, 48 x 72 inches
Chickadees on a Fiddlehead, 2017
Soot and acrylic on panel, 36 x 36 inches
Chickadee on a Grenade, 2017
Soot and acrylic on panel, 16 x 12 inches
Coco-Rhino, 2017
Soot and gold leaf on paper mounted on panel, 18 inches
Hubris (Louis-Vuitton Gas Mask with Blue Jay), 2017
Soot and acrylic on panel, 40 inches
Land Mine, 2017
Soot and acrylic on panel, 16 x 12 inches
Louis-Vuitton Gas Mask, 2017
Soot and acrylic on panel, 20 x 16 inches
Mutant, 2017
Soot and gold leaf on paper mounted on panel, 10 inches
Nest Egg, 2017
Soot on panel, 36 x 36 inches
Nest Egg 2, 2017
Soot and gold leaf on panel, 20 x 16 inches
Nuthatch on Grenade, 2017
Soot on panel, 10 x 8 inches
Oiseau sur Grenade, 2017
Soot and acrylic on panel, 20 x 16 inches
Perched, 2017
Soot, collage and acrylic on paper mounted on panel, 18 inches
Ring around the Rosie, 2017
Soot, acrylic and collage on paper mounted on panel, 24 inches
Robin and the Black Diamond, 2017
Soot and acrylic on panel, 20 x 16 inches
Share the Wealth, 2017
Soot and silver leaf on paper mounted on panel, 18 inches
Silent Flowers, 2016
Soot and collage on paper mounted on panel, 18 inches
Smoky Owl, 2017
Soot and acrylic on panel, 36 x 36 inches
Strings Attached, 2017
Soot and acrylic on panel, 20 x 16 inches
Twitter, 2017
Soot, silver foil and acrylic on panel, 36 x 36 inches
Up in Smoke, Chickadee 1, 2017
Soot and acrylic on panel, 10 x 8 inches
Up in Smoke, Chikadee 3, 2017
Soot and acrylic on panel, 10 x 8 inches
Up in Smoke, Swallow I, 2017
Soot and acrylic on panel, 10 x 8 inches
Up in Smoke, Swallow II, 2017
Soot and acrylic on panel, 10 x 8 inches
