Thermophile Zone
The Bellevue Art Musuem's Bienneal exhibit features 49 artists in the Pacific Northwest working in metals. Susan Madacsi was selected as one of 49 artists out of 330 applicants.
Here Madacsi discusses the piece with a patron at the exhibit opening. The new work is inspired by the vibrant, natural variations of prismatic color and textures of geothermal hot springs. The bright colors of these ancient pools are caused by tiny living organisms, which thrive in these extreme environments. They create a peculiar vividness, which transforms as the water spreads out and cools, creating concentric circles of varying hues. Madacsi's work embraces color, form and texture. It reconsiders the traditional treatment of steel in blacksmithing, utilizing the material as a substrate for bold colors, which hang on the wall like a canvas.