Black Eyed Susan of the Gowanus

Black-Eyed Susan of the Gowanus

Marsh Grass, Acrylic House Paint, Powdered Pigment, Natural Dyes, Rock Salt, Iron Powder, Paper College, mounted on Paper Shopping Bags. 2019

This painting references the Maryland state flower, the black-eyed Susan, and uses marsh grass as a form of requiem. The Gowanus area was a barrier for the retreating American army. It was the sacrifice and repeated attacks of the Maryland troops that allowed other American soldiers to retreat to the safety of downtown Brooklyn. The development of the Gowanus area has been built over the unknown graves of the Maryland soldiers. This painting was part of the Tides of Time exhibit at Gowanus Dredgers boat house (August 2019).

Rusting Iron powder used for the center of the flower rusting