Karen Duling

Liar, Liar, Coal On Fire
commercial cotton fabrics, silk batting, cotton thread
66 x 60 in.

Coal production presents a conundrum for an energy-driven modern society. Scarred earth, dirty air and fractured aquifers are by-products of the coal industry. Coal is among the dirtiest forms of energy and a contributor to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere threatening the climate and human health. President Trump is taking steps to reinvigorate the coal industry for the purpose of creating jobs while downplaying negative impacts on the earth. In this piece, color and pattern suggest disturbed earth layers and aquifers. Swirling lines suggest polluted wind patterns in contrast to clean air. This environmental themed piece is intended to communicate the destructive nature of coal mining.

© Karen Duling