America - contemporary painting with American flag
Work details
A whirlwind above the flag
“America” was created in 2002 as a response to the failure of the Kyoto Protocol – and it is more than a painting. On the canvas, the American flag and the shadows of a hurricane overlap. The symbol of national identity is confronted with a force of nature that moves inexorably, threatening and powerful.
The result is a composition that directly alludes to the missed opportunity of international climate policy. The abstract – clouds, storm, structures – becomes concrete: a painting about political responsibility and its failure.
Between flag and nature
Red, white, and blue stripes merge with dark shapes reminiscent of cloud shadows. Beneath them, structures emerge that evoke leaves, branches, and earth – nature enclosed within a national symbol.
“America” forces the viewer to reflect: To what extent is our fate tied to political decisions? What happens when the strongest economies fail?
Why America?
The Kyoto Protocol was, for many, the last major chance for a global change of course. Europe and Asia would have been ready – but the USA refused. The momentum was thus lost. “America” makes this void visible: an image of missed opportunities, frozen in paint.
Presentation and structure
Like all works in the series In the End Green, “America” also needs a lot of light to unfold its depth. The priming was built up from thick layers of oil paint into which organic material was worked. This leaves a tactile surface that gives the painting a second level – nature in the image, nature in the theme.
📣 Contact the artist
Mark Hellbusch
Independent artist since 1997
📍 Langendellschlag 62, 65199 Wiesbaden
📞 +49 (0)176 21916227
✉️ markhellbusch@web.de
