Rosemarie Fiore: Pyrotechnics at Priska C. Juschka Fine Art

Firework Drawing #11, 2009

Fiore is it. As evidenced by the first line of her statement, which reads, "I bomb blank sheets of paper". You've probably heard of her, the artist who draws with colored smoke from fireworks. I've seen plenty of her work floating on blogsmogery, but those (and these) digital reproductions are mere clip art next to the vision of these works in real.



Process shots.

Drawings are ultimately layered in collage fashion. They are many layers of thick Fabriano deep, producing a relief-like surface just shy of sculptural. In certain drawings it was clear that Fiore had detonated fireworks over areas of collage. A very ballsy move that could seriously damage--if not completely destroy--an already laboured work. I was most impressed with her nerve.


Firework Drawing #25, 2009

Although, how nervey is it really, given the obvious aptitude she demonstrates in her unusual media? The works pace a tender membrane, on the outside is the seeming unpredictability of explosives she implements; inside, Fiore's ability to tame and control the mark of the smoke and the crack of the fire.


Firework Drawing #26, 2009