Misfit Artwork

To create smoke art, I use a candle as my medium. The candle is brushed against the paper’s surface, which is then tentatively cleaned again using a variety of tools from brushes to erasers. It is a complex medium with a mind of its own, and as the artist, I can merely be guided by the flame. Unlike a painting or charcoal drawing, I cannot predict the result of a smoke art piece. If the paper gets stained, I must work around it. If the flame spews some wax or oils, or suddenly becomes small or large, it needs to become part of the art. There’s a unique heartbeat found in every stroke of the flame that somehow captures the very essence of the animal I am trying to make. I never thought I would consider a hyena as one of my art pieces. Hyenas are portrayed as naïve, idiotic and cowardly. They are compared to jokesters and are seen as nothing more than greedy scavengers. It was time to turn the tables. Not only are hyenas excellent hunters, but they are considered one of the smartest animals in Africa. Their intelligence tends to evolve in the same manner as ours. They rely on a complex social structure to thrive and can even count. In the wild, hyena males count the number of males in a new clan before trying to join. They can even determine which clans have more members than theirs do, to make the most strategic decisions when fighting for territories. As if intelligence isn’t enough, they have nearly double the bite force of a lion. They can crack bones that are nearly 6cm (around 2.4 inches) in diameter to get to the nutrient-rich marrow on the inside. If any medium could truly represent this unique and hidden gem of Africa, it is smoke art. Smoke Art has a darker, yet warmer, tone than charcoal, which captures a more natural ‘light’ in the face of any animal done in this medium. Our terrifying friend can truly emerge out of the depts of the night, as if painted in moonlight. He can stare into your soul and smell your fear.