St. Petroleum deals
with the topic of oil production at sea and the consequences of
destruction when accidents happen. Burning plattforms, leaking
valves and sinking ships lead to oil-covered animals and vegetation
that suffocate and die. Beautiful colored coral reefs turn into death
zones. The work, adapting the structure of a stained-glass window,
calls into question the priorization of the oil industry over
nature.
Artist Statement
My aim is to create aesthetic compositions which captivate the observer and invite her/him to deal with current critical themes. The digital, very graphic technique that I use on the computer leans in a formal sense on the glass works of church windows. Images of catastrophes, scandals, disputes and the like are intensified through an intricate iconography and composed like a mosaic. It is not my intention to construct new religious legends, as the sacred latin titles might imply, but rather to raise questions about which values we want to hold sacred in our time and prioritize in the future. Occidental and oriental designs combine into complex ornaments stressing the importance of an international dialogue. Occasional backlighting lends the works an additional radiance.
