S P A Z U K (CAN) 'Smoking Guns and Feathers’
An exhibition of new works by French-Canadian artist S P A Z U K at Reed Projects Gallery
Preview: Thursday July 23rd Exhibition: July 24th - August 23rd
In his newest show, Steven Spazuk continues to push the boundaries of “fumage": using an open candle flame, he leaves a fine depot of carbon black on blank paper to create marks of smoke. Then, using feathers, scrapers and brushes, he sculpts his canvas of soot to render shapes and light. He immerses himself in the humanity of his subjects to create remarkable portraits and he expresses the fragility and precariousness of the species that share our biosphere. His work serves as a powerful reminder of our responsibility to health and life.
With Smoking Guns & Feathers, his exhibition at REED PROJECTS, Spazuk exposes our collective and institutionalized hubris: the arrogance and entitlement that leads to overconfidence, abuse of power and a distorted vision of success. The plight of birds is contextualized in harsh, yet stunning image compositions, symbolizes the vulnerability of all species in the face of such human egotism. His current work provokes a reflection on the drastic and global impact of our lifestyle on the Earth’s ecosystems.
Steven Spazuk has participated in exhibitions and performances in Montreal, New York, Milan, Toronto, Berlin and Florence.
