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Nine Car Fires

Brandon Willett

Human fascination with disaster is a curious aspect of our psyche, one that this painting deftly explores. Like rubbernecking drivers drawn to the spectacle of a car fire or a toppled vehicle, viewers are compelled to fixate on scenes of chaos and destruction. Such events imprint themselves upon our memories, becoming part of our personal narratives. Whether recounted casually in conversation or recalled upon seeing news reports, these moments of disaster leave an indelible mark.

In these paintings, the fiery aftermath (or toppled vehicle) arrests our attention, prompting a cascade of inquiries. Where are the drivers or passengers? Are they safe? Were there others injured in the chaos? Where were they going? How did this happen? Did they manage to salvage their possessions?

Despite the intensity of the scene, these paintings answer no questions. What remains is the stark image of nine fiery shells and a flipped van - both testaments to the transience, unpredictability of life, and our relationship to the trials we are given to endure.

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