Across the American West, drought, dense forests and extreme weather exacerbated by climate change are contributing to catastrophic fires. The wildfire season is getting longer, and fires are becoming more intense and frequent.
Artist Bryan David Griffith found inspiration in fires to pose valuable questions. His artistic works will come to the High Desert Museum starting Saturday, Oct. 16 in the exhibition Rethinking Fire.
Dualities in nature–life and death, forest and fire–are at the heart of Griffith’s artwork. The exhibition includes encaustic beeswax paintings, fire studies on paper and large-scale burned wood sculptures.
Griffith investigates opposing forces in nature by using fire itself as a medium alongside other materials including wood and beeswax. His work reveals the human desire to control natural processes, often with unintended consequences. Rethinking Fire fosters a space where viewers can experience their own discoveries and pose their own questions.