(French-Canadian, b. 1960) Steven Spazuk paints with fire in a technique named “fumage,” reinventing traditional artistic approaches. For the past 20 years Spazuk has refined this skill – creating exquisitely vivid figures and animals from the residue of his candle’s brushstrokes. The fire scorches and kisses wisps of black carbon residue, which shapes the silhouettes of his figures. He then carefully scratches away and removes the soot to reveal each composition. The transparency, fluidity, and unpredictability of smoke affect his images and propel the evolution of his technique. The subjects of his work relate to the duality of his chosen medium. Fire has destructive and constructive properties, which can give life and take it away. His compositions allude to this force in nature, as they reflect the fragility of Life.

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