We’ve written about the stunning pyrographic techniques of Zachary Aronson before. With an artist’s reception of his work upcoming at DBA256 Gallery in Pomona, here’s a piece on Aronson from the team at Shoebox PR.
It is said that scars create character and in the case of Zachary Aronson who scars wood panels with fire to create intimate and revealing portraits, it’s the unseen experience that speaks the loudest.
Currently on view at DBA256 in Pomona, “Portraits” draws the viewer into contemplation of humanity and our collective struggle to be individual. Zachary, a recent Cal Arts Grad, uses flame rather than traditional tools to sear images onto wood planks giving his portraits a primal connection between wood and flame that we intuitively understand.
“Portraits” is not what we come to expect from the genre. The larger than life faces are exposed and vulnerable, visceral and raw, created using fire, a traditionally destructive element that confronts the viewer with windows into encounters that demand their attention.
“Anonymity is very important in my work,” says Zachary. “I want to catch the viewer’s eye and draw them in without presenting them with all the information about the image. I don’t want to give the viewer everything, what I choose to omit is significant.”
“My practice is very immediate, constantly altering at my fingertips,” says Zachary. “When standing in front of a wooden plank, I visualize images I want to reveal among naturally occurring knots, grains and textures.”
“Portraits” confronts us with faces in various states of emotion that show us how we are scarred by experience and how those scars reveal a nature that is beautiful in its unique way.
Aronson uses torches to effectively draw with fire creating what he refers to as pyrographs. Implementing this drawing technique has brought Aronson in closer contact with his medium, creating a connection between nature and human hand by utilizing all of the earthly properties involved; the natural texture and color of wood, fire, and ash.