Among constant headlines of impending war and civil unrest, I am always intrigued by artists willing to explore these themes without resorting to stereotypes of bloodshed or protest. Italian sculptor Aron Demetz and his recent series of images and sculptures rendering completely from burning or burnt charcoal are great examples of this concept, at least to me. Imitating the remains of a battlefield and the lumpy vegetation that occurs when human flesh is scorched is much more powerful than just showing exploded bodies. He also comes up with more subtle compositions that look less like people dying and more like people caught off guard a doomed fate. It makes me think of Giacometti and the bodies at Pompeii and the potential for more destruction by the human race in Syria and other places. Happy Friday! More images below:
