Title: forget the cold will the wind bother me, 54, 5×5
Damon Wiggins
“Let it go, let it go…”Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez
Winter – it’s a season that brings to mind clean, glistening snow, the comfort of warm coats and sweaters, and a palette of serene blues. This particular shade of blue is reflected in the ice, though it pales in comparison to the ancient ice encased in Arctic glaciers and vast ice sheets. However, the symbolism of winter extends beyond its visual beauty; it’s increasingly associated with the changing world around us.
As our planet’s temperature rises, we bear witness to the slow but steady dissolution of these critical icy structures. It’s a transformation that’s both awe-inspiring and unnerving. Destruction, in its own way, can be strangely beautiful, yet the undercurrent of apprehension persists.
In my latest painting, I’ve attempted to capture the essence of this paradox. Contrary to the colorful, neatly wrapped endings of Disney movies, reality often unfolds differently. The wind carries new ice, covering the exposed remnants of the old. A slender orange streak hints at the impending warmth, a reminder of the changes to come.
To create this piece, I employed a unique technique using a blend of glue and paint for the threads. Each layer demanded a full day to dry properly. The layers were meticulously built into a “cake,” which was then expertly sliced to form the individual threads. The result is a work that not only captures the aesthetics of winter but also conveys the broader narrative of our changing world and the delicate balance of beauty and environmental concern that it embodies.
DAMON WIGGINS 