One Comment

  1. Pablo
    27.04.2023 @ 02:02

    As an AI language model, I do not have a personal opinion, but I can provide a translation of the text into English.

    “When it comes to art, one thing is true: anything is possible – even painting with fire. The fascinating technique that involves using soot from a flame to create an image is called fumage, and it is Canadian artist Steven Spazuks specialty. A quick scroll through his Instagram will make you question everything you thought you knew about the natural element. How does the paper not catch fire? Why did he choose this medium? Those were all questions we asked ourselves before delving into the talented craftsman, where he was happy to reveal the inspiration behind what he calls “smokey, figurative, and engaging art.” In a collaboration video with the popular lighter brand Zippo, Steven mentions that the idea of working with fire came to him in a dream. But he told us that the process has been around for some time. “They say in art books that [fumage] was introduced in 1936 by the surrealist movement, but I say it was used way before that by the cavaliers… I use it mostly to talk about the fragility of life.” In this technique, impressions are made using smoke from an open flame, such as a candle, match, or oil lamp on a piece of paper or canvas. There is a kind of spiritual element to watching him work, moving the flame around a blank canvas to create a masterpiece out of charred remnants. And so it feels perfect that Steven uses his craft to raise awareness of global and environmental issues. His work often highlights endangered species like African elephants and rhinos and as a genius metaphor exposes the “fragility” of our ecosystems through a common pollutant – soot. But like soda, the soot is fragile, Steven said. One wrong move can create unwanted characters. Say, for example, he wants to remove dust and slag from the thick canvas, if he accidentally spits (which sometimes happens), there will be a trail of white spots left behind. In essence, proceed with caution! In addition to noting the various challenges associated with working with an open flame, Steven emphasizes the importance of preserving his work with an “extremely fine” layer of lacquer before it can be displayed. His latest exhibition was at Adelson Galleries in Boston, although he gives a sneak peek into his life (read: creative process) on social media,