Mazaruni River by Alexis Rockman
Alexis Rockman
American, born 1962
Mazaruni River, 1994
Oil on wood
Alexis Rockman's Mazaruni River plunges the viewer into a watery world polluted by large-scale gold dredging in Guyana. The hyperrealistic scene is simultaneously seductive and terrifying, as sunny skies and tropical green foliage belie the river's toxicity. Likewise, the ramifications of gold mining on local ecosystems are often overlooked for the sake of the trade. Playful details such as the diving iguana and the fluttering butterfly exist alongside the fading body of a piranha, nearly engulfed by thickly poured varnish. Typical of the artist's work, which often depicts surreal apocalyptic visions, this painting nevertheless suggests resilience through the animated actions of creatures in an adapting ecosystem.
(From the Brooklyn Museum)
Mazaruni River by Alexis Rockman
Alexis Rockman
American, born 1962
Mazaruni River, 1994
Oil on wood
Alexis Rockman's Mazaruni River plunges the viewer into a watery world polluted by large-scale gold dredging in Guyana. The hyperrealistic scene is simultaneously seductive and terrifying, as sunny skies and tropical green foliage belie the river's toxicity. Likewise, the ramifications of gold mining on local ecosystems are often overlooked for the sake of the trade. Playful details such as the diving iguana and the fluttering butterfly exist alongside the fading body of a piranha, nearly engulfed by thickly poured varnish. Typical of the artist's work, which often depicts surreal apocalyptic visions, this painting nevertheless suggests resilience through the animated actions of creatures in an adapting ecosystem.
(From the Brooklyn Museum)