MICHAEL SERROUL
VISIONARY ARTIST AND MUSICIAN
"Oil Money"
This canvas depicts a somewhat abstract representation of water that is partially obstructed by a large mass of black representing oil pollution. The gold foil represents a European settlers perspective on oil, and the red represents our peoples internalization of what oil means. Oil comes from our land, and has made those who stole it richer in the process. It represents the broken trust between the white man and our people, and how they’ve managed to turn our land against us. There are many forms of pollution that have unfortunately affected our water and our fish, but I see oil pollution as that which most mirrors the struggles that our people have to face. This canvas was painted with acrylics and incorporates gold foil for a bit of flair.
|
"Medicine"
The inspiration for this canvas came from an amalgamation of a few different of my favourite water views. One being from my hometown Lillooet, Seton Lake, and another being the sea to sky highway from north Vancouver to Squamish. The moon comes up a lot in my work because I have a deep connection to what it represents to me. The moon lights the darkness, and also represents the ancestors looking after us. The movement in the sky is meant to represent wind and turbulence, especially in life. The water in this case represents medicine and a reflection of what matters. When our water is healthy, our people are healthy.
|