I Smell Smoke by Lucy Gray

Title: I Smell Smoke
Artist: Lucy Gray
Medium: charred wood, gesso, 23c gold and marble
Size: H 53 x W 22 x D 15 cm

‘I Smell Smoke’, is a blackened wing made from charred wood, marble and gold leaf. Alluding to John Berger’s heron, the piece is a palpable symbol of the climate crisis, citing burning forests, rising sea levels and mass extinction. Berger was a well-known writer and art critic but was also an activist who spoke out against capitalism and neoliberalism, which he believed were strongly linked to the destruction of the planet and the erosion of human rights. In his writing, he often uses animals, like the heron, as a metaphor for the watchful onlooker - he wrote, “when he is being seen by the animal, he is being seen as his surroundings are seen by him.” – a reminder of our place in the natural world, our interconnectedness. 

‘I Smell Smoke’ is a striking and alarming visual intimation of human destruction. But it also leaves the viewer feeling hopeful. Nestled in the crease of the blackened wing is an egg-like ball made from polished marble – like life emerging from the ashes, it evokes the resilience of nature and the potential for a better future.

Learn more about Lucy Gray here.