ANTHROPOCENE XVIII - Brown coal surface mine in Czechia

Brown coal surface mine CSA, Czechia.

Used materials: brown coal, raw clay, yellow colored raw kaolin, gravel, natural charcoal, acrylic, canvas

This is the one of the works from the "Anthropocene" series. In this series I deal with humanity's ability to transform large landscape units for our own needs using modern technological processes. Often without regard to the possible consequences. The transformation of the landscape then changes not only its external appearance, but ultimately also the behavior of the flora and fauna, which is either completely destroyed or partially adapts within large landscape areas. This change affects both biological and geological processes not only in a given location, but on the entire planet. And this has a negative impact on human society. Some paintings from the “Anthropocene” cycle are created using a combined technique, in which I bring characteristic materials from the depicted location (coal, local deposits, pigments, etc.), which I incorporate into the painting along with other materials such as synthetic asphalt, ash, coffee and natural pigments. The resulting painting is then partly made up of materials from the given area, which help to complete the authenticity of the painting.

The painting depicts the ČSA brown coal surface mine near the town of Most. It is one of the surface mines of the North Bohemian coal basin, which is located in the foothills of the Ore Mountains in the Czech Republic. The painting is created by applying and gluing variously coarse fractions of brown coal and clay that I collected in this coal mine. I supplemented these natural pigments with yellow kaolin pigment and gravel from the kaolin mine in Horní Bříza. Some details were added using natural carbon and acrylic. The water surfaces are made of synthetic asphalt and crushed coal. All materials are applied or glued to raw linen canvas glued to a plywood.

Mining in the quarry is to be completed this year. The quarry will be gradually flooded and reclaimed. That is, at least partially returned to nature.