Titanium white pigment and linseed oil on Tyvek with black gesso and black Golden Acrylic Pastel Ground. Made from polystyrene cups that transferred titanium white dry pigment and linseed oil to Tyvek when placed into a wind vortex created by the artist using commercial barrel fans.

Copyright %C2%A9 Alexa Horochowski%2C published by Highpoint Editions

Vortex Drawing 17, 2017

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Alexa Horochowski’s monumental “vortex” drawing highlights the intransigent problem of non-biodegradable trash polluting the world’s oceans and its effects on living organisms and marine ecosystems. Horochowski produced the drawing, one of an extended series, using an array of commercial barrel fans to create an artificial wind vortex on a flat surface. She selected a mixture of Styrofoam cups, polystyrene packing peanuts, aluminum cans, and other trash materials coated in substances such as graphite, ink, acrylic, linseed oil, and pigments, and added them to the vortex. The drawings were formed by the wind blowing the debris so the coatings would leave marks on white or black grounds. Though Horochowski chose the drawing constituents and guided the process, the element of chance played a large role in determining the final compositions. These experimental works actually blend aspects of drawing and printmaking, order and randomness. The works appear gestural due to the action of the materials/media within the vortex, but the mark making is mechanical, one step removed from the artist’s hand. Under the artist’s supervision, intention and chance vie for dominance. The drawings are visual compelling, but also carry a vital ethical message about our inadequate stewardship of the planet.

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Details
Title
Vortex Drawing 17
Artist Life
born 1965
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2017.80.6
Provenance
The artist, Minneapolis; (Highpoint Editions, Minneapolis, sold to Mersky 2017); Robert B. Mersky, Minneapolis; given to MIA, 2017.
Curator Approved

This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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Titanium white pigment and linseed oil on Tyvek with black gesso and black Golden Acrylic Pastel Ground. Made from polystyrene cups that transferred titanium white dry pigment and linseed oil to Tyvek when placed into a wind vortex created by the artist using commercial barrel fans.

Copyright © Alexa Horochowski, published by Highpoint Editions