Landscape and fire

Valerei Hegarty, Fallen Bierstadt, 2007
Foamcore, paint, glue, gel medium, wire, canvas, paper, wood.

I begin with the destruction. I am fascinated by those artists that feel the need to speak through the destruction of others work. However, it seems completely valid form of expression. 

This work by Valerei Hegarty, born after Albert Bierstadt's Bridal Veil Falls at Yosemite, comes to a violent end. It dangles from only one anchored corner. Many things can go into its interpretation: it can tell of the death of the genre; the slow death of museums (either through negligence or starvation); destruction of the artist...

The original possesses an original beauty. Bierstadt will always hold a unique place in my mind. As will Hegarty, because I found the destruction first. I see a distant connection in the falls to Turner, yet the clarity in the actual landscape moves too far from his fading wisps of color. Following in Bierstadt's foot steps, Hegarty performs a perfect execution of illusionism. Her work is centered on decay, fire, water, rust, and death.