Protect Us: The Real Story Behind The New Hawks Quindel S.C. Fusographs!

I was preparing a new series of work for the MMOCA Gallery night show.  I was asked by the folks at Hawks Quindel S.C. if I would exhibit in their space.

I had time to think. So, I went to my studio, The Blast Factory.

I have been working on a new process of burning photographs with hand-held and super fast fuse. I call them fusographs!

I have tons of cool images I could use.  But, I thought about the cool building, near the Capitol, in Madison, WI.  Perhaps it could yield some interesting shots and relate to the space they would be shown in.

Then, I found out, the building remodel and design was done by Melissa Destress and her team at Destree Design Architects.  She is a friend and her team has done cool work in and around the city. (She also owns one of my favorite artworks).

I also wanted the art to represent the "soul" and "mission" of the work of the  lawyers at Hawks Quindel.

I had a solution.  I came up with a plan.

I hoped I could fuse together the essence of HQ, Destree and my work!

I spent a little time in and outside the HQ building. I photographed some elements of the building that looked cool. Then, I abstracted the colorful essence of each.

Finally, I took my super-fast and super-slow burning fuses and "painted" them into the images.

Some started on fire.  Some crumpled from the heat.

I kept working and the net result are  a group of energy filled and highly textured fusographs! 

Here are three of the images and their underlying story.

Lead Us:  The image origin is the duct work on the top floor of Hawks Quindel S.C.  new historic building in Madison, WI.  Ducts lead things, so do good law firms, hence the art work name, "Lead Us".

Protect Us:  The image origin is the exterior brick wall work on the West side of Hawks Quindel S.C.  new historic building in Madison, WI.   Walls protect us, so do good law firms, hence the art work name, "Protect Us".

Support Us:  The image origin is the exposed wooden trusses that support the roof of Hawks  Quindel S.C.  new historic building in Madison, WI.   Trusses support things, so do good law firms, hence the art work name, "Support Us".

"Fusographs: Protect Us" opens during MMOCA gallery night - October 6th -  and will be on display at Hawks Quindel S.C. until mid-January, 2018.

Stick Vega is the American Gunpowder Artist, former CEO, and author of LESS KILLING. Stick currently lives and creates explosive pop art at The Blast Factory in Madison, Wisconsin. Not limited to one medium, he works in gunpowder drawings and paintings, photography, investing and writing. Please follow Stick on Facebook and/or Twitter.