Burning Earth

Artist: Michael Freedman 

Title: Burning Earth

Media:  Acrylic, mixed media, collage, foil, scorching 

Dimensions: 106 cm x 96 cm

Date: 2013 


Michael Freedman was born in 1942. On his website he states that he "had never painted or drawn" until he retired and took some lessons from "Gavin Maughfling, an inspirational artist and tutor at Putney School of Art and Design." Michael then went on two earn his fine arts degree. Before Michael's retirement, he enjoyed an international business career and was able to visit over 60 countries throughout his life. 
Burning Earth was made by Michael Freedman so he could express that "his awareness that we cannot live much longer ignoring decisive action on the environment." He also states on his website that he is "angry that everywhere is evidence of man-made climate change, pollution, resource exploitation and pesticide poisoning mostly in the quest for super profits." Michael Freedman uses a variety of media like in Burning Earth to get his audience to think critically about  the damage that is being caused to the environment.  


I included Burning Earth as part of my exhibition because it shows the harm global warming can have on forests in a way that makes you wonder more about the trees (this art is more abstract). Abstract art like Michael's is a good way to make people start thinking critically about a variety of issues. Burning fire ppears to be a piece of wood remnant of a once grandous tree. The sides are black showing the effects the fire had on the wood and on the middle there is a red that appears as though a flame. Burning Earth shows the relationship between global warming and forest fires. 

Astated by an article by the University of Arizona, as temperatures increase there will be an increase in forest fires. Trees are important because they provide us with oxygen and also "consume" part of the carbon dioxide that remains in our environment. More forest fires will lead to more release of carbon dioxide (because the trees will release the CO2 they had consumed) when they are burning; thus creating a positive feedback cycle with greenhouses gases (like CO2)  greenhouse gases make the Earth hotter which increases the amount of forest fires, which releases more CO2 and so the cycle continues. 

http://www.michaelfreedman.co.uk/portfolios/self-destruct-mans-devastation-of-his-environment/