


Ripley Whiteside
Swamp Gas / Golden Ball, 2022
Aquarelle / Watercolour
32 x 40 "
81.3 x 101.6 cm
(encadrée / framed)
81.3 x 101.6 cm
(encadrée / framed)
Séries: Book of Wonders
© Ripley Whiteside
$ 4,300 (encadrée / framed)
Plus d'images
[English follows] «Swamp Gas / Golden Ball » s'inspire d'une image du Augsburg Book of Miracles (vers 1550) qui montre un paysage assailli par trois itérations d'un orbe flottant. Le...
[English follows] «Swamp Gas / Golden Ball » s'inspire d'une image du Augsburg Book of Miracles (vers 1550) qui montre un paysage assailli par trois itérations d'un orbe flottant. Le texte de cette page est le suivant : « Au pays des Romains, en l'an 73 avant J.-C., on vit dans le ciel une boule d'or qui descendit sur terre, roula et s'envola de nouveau dans les airs en direction du soleil levant, de sorte que sa grande taille recouvrit entièrement le soleil. Ces boules de lumière flottantes, qui ont été observées dans le monde entier, ont été appelées « feux follets » ou « ignis fatuus » (« flamme insensée »). Elles ont influencé de nombreuses traditions folkloriques et ont souvent été attribuées à des chemins tracés par des fantômes ou des fées. La science moderne explique ces phénomènes par des réactions chimiques provoquées par la décomposition organique dans des conditions atmosphériques spécifiques. Des « flammes froides » ont été observées en chauffant des composés (y compris des hydrocarbures comme le méthane) jusqu'à un point situé juste en dessous du point d'ignition, dans des conditions imitant les marécages ou les tourbières. Le nombre d'observations a diminué ces dernières années, les zones marécageuses ressemblant à des tourbières ayant été drainées et converties en terres agricoles. Mais un avenir qui sera invariablement plus humide et plus chaud, et qui impliquera une plus grande concentration d'hydrocarbures flottant autour de nous, pourrait bien être marqué par une prolifération de mystérieux phénomènes « surnaturels ».
Issue de la série «Apocalypse : Une nouvelle révélation», cette œuvre reflète l’urgence des bouleversements climatiques actuels, en s’inspirant du Livre des miracles d’Augsbourg, un manuscrit du XVIe siècle qui représentait les phénomènes naturels et célestes comme des signes de troubles à venir. Les œuvres explorent les parallèles entre les événements apocalyptiques historiques et les crises environnementales contemporaines, mettant en lumière la destruction et le renouveau inhérents à ces moments de transformation. En réinterprétant le mot « apocalypse » comme une révélation plutôt qu’une fatalité, la série suggère que l’espoir et le changement restent possibles à travers la décarbonisation et des actions durables. Face aux défis mondiaux, l’optimisme et les solutions proactives deviennent indispensables.
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"Swamp Gas / Golden Ball" takes inspiration from an image in The Augsburg Book of Miracles (c. 1550) that shows a landscape beset by three iterations of a floating orb. The text on that page reads: "In the land of the Romans in the year 73 BC, a golden ball was seen in the sky, which then came down to earth and rolled around and flew back up into the air again in the direction of the rising sun, so that its great size covered up the sun completely. This was followed by the great Roman war."Such floating balls of light, which have been observed all over the world, came to be known as "will-o'-the-whisp" or ignis fatuus ("foolish flame"). They have influenced many folkloric traditions, and were frequently attributed to paths charted by ghosts or fairies. Modern science explains these occurrences as the results of chemical reactions caused by organic decay under specific atmospheric conditions. "Cold flames" have been observed when heating compounds (including hydrocarbons like methane) to a point just below ignition in conditions mimicking swamps or bogs. There has been a decrease in sightings in recent years as swampy bog-like areas are drained and converted to farmland. But a future that will invariably be wetter and hotter, and will involve a greater concentration of hydrocarbons floating around all us, may well be marked by a proliferation of mysterious "supernatural" phenomena. " -RW
This work is from the series by Ripley Whiteside entitled "Apocalypse: A New Revelation". It reflects the urgency of our changing climate, inspired by "The Augsburg Book of Miracles," a 16th-century manuscript that depicted natural and celestial phenomena as signs of upheaval. The artworks explore the parallels between historical apocalyptic events and today’s environmental crises, highlighting the destruction and renewal inherent in these moments of transformation. By reinterpreting the word "apocalypse" as a revelation rather than a final doom, the series suggests that hope and change are possible through decarbonization and sustainable action. In the face of global challenges, optimism and proactive solutions become indispensable.
Born in 1982, Ripley Whiteside grew up in Chapel Hill and Durham, NC. In 2012, he graduated with a MFA from SUNY-Buffalo, and received a BFA from UNC-CH in 2008. He is a drawer, painter and printmaker. Currently he teaches at Austin Peay State University and Metro Parks Visual Arts. He lives and works in Nashville, TN.
Issue de la série «Apocalypse : Une nouvelle révélation», cette œuvre reflète l’urgence des bouleversements climatiques actuels, en s’inspirant du Livre des miracles d’Augsbourg, un manuscrit du XVIe siècle qui représentait les phénomènes naturels et célestes comme des signes de troubles à venir. Les œuvres explorent les parallèles entre les événements apocalyptiques historiques et les crises environnementales contemporaines, mettant en lumière la destruction et le renouveau inhérents à ces moments de transformation. En réinterprétant le mot « apocalypse » comme une révélation plutôt qu’une fatalité, la série suggère que l’espoir et le changement restent possibles à travers la décarbonisation et des actions durables. Face aux défis mondiaux, l’optimisme et les solutions proactives deviennent indispensables.
______
"Swamp Gas / Golden Ball" takes inspiration from an image in The Augsburg Book of Miracles (c. 1550) that shows a landscape beset by three iterations of a floating orb. The text on that page reads: "In the land of the Romans in the year 73 BC, a golden ball was seen in the sky, which then came down to earth and rolled around and flew back up into the air again in the direction of the rising sun, so that its great size covered up the sun completely. This was followed by the great Roman war."Such floating balls of light, which have been observed all over the world, came to be known as "will-o'-the-whisp" or ignis fatuus ("foolish flame"). They have influenced many folkloric traditions, and were frequently attributed to paths charted by ghosts or fairies. Modern science explains these occurrences as the results of chemical reactions caused by organic decay under specific atmospheric conditions. "Cold flames" have been observed when heating compounds (including hydrocarbons like methane) to a point just below ignition in conditions mimicking swamps or bogs. There has been a decrease in sightings in recent years as swampy bog-like areas are drained and converted to farmland. But a future that will invariably be wetter and hotter, and will involve a greater concentration of hydrocarbons floating around all us, may well be marked by a proliferation of mysterious "supernatural" phenomena. " -RW
This work is from the series by Ripley Whiteside entitled "Apocalypse: A New Revelation". It reflects the urgency of our changing climate, inspired by "The Augsburg Book of Miracles," a 16th-century manuscript that depicted natural and celestial phenomena as signs of upheaval. The artworks explore the parallels between historical apocalyptic events and today’s environmental crises, highlighting the destruction and renewal inherent in these moments of transformation. By reinterpreting the word "apocalypse" as a revelation rather than a final doom, the series suggests that hope and change are possible through decarbonization and sustainable action. In the face of global challenges, optimism and proactive solutions become indispensable.
Born in 1982, Ripley Whiteside grew up in Chapel Hill and Durham, NC. In 2012, he graduated with a MFA from SUNY-Buffalo, and received a BFA from UNC-CH in 2008. He is a drawer, painter and printmaker. Currently he teaches at Austin Peay State University and Metro Parks Visual Arts. He lives and works in Nashville, TN.