Conflagrations – 14/16 (SOLD)

Conflagration 14/16

Oil, acrylic and resin on wood, 12x10x12cm (approx.)
2021-24

Building a bonfire is akin to building a sculpture. Both require aesthetic judgement and careful placement of the items at hand. Always the same, always unique, each one brings out the artist in its maker, whether the maker is aware of it or not.

The ‘Conflagration’ edition of 16 scaled-down bonfires by Shane Bradford straddle the divide between 2 and 3 dimensions, forming unique arrangements of conical wood while zooming in on the micro-drama of paint. The Conflagrations are a demonstrate a new twist on Bradford’s customary dipping method as well as a painterly penchant for abstract narrative.

Bradford says, ‘I see the Conflagrations as a sort of diffusion range of a large sculpture I made over a decade ago, called ‘Coldfire’. I think the down-scaling of each object allows for the fascination of the miniature and concentrates the detail of the paint flow. Each one freezes a moment in time.’

AL 2024