Silent Warfare
Silent Warfare
By Nigel Altmann
Artwork# 17
About the Artist
Name: Nigel Altmann
School: Emily Carr University of Art + Design
Program: Illustration
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Artist Bio: Nigel is an illustrator currently based in Vancouver. Before settling down in the city, he and his family spent 17 years living in the small, quiet BC town of Jade City.
Growing up in a place with just 21 permanent residents while surrounded by the deep boreal Canadian wilderness, he discovered the beauty and importance of community and preserving the natural world. Art quickly became his outlet to both reflect on the intricate world around him while simultaneously sharing emotions and experiences with others.
Nigel typically works with traditional drawing media such as ink and graphite but also ventures into sculpture. Themes in his work usually include nature and architecture represented in an abstract/semi-realistic style.
In his spare time, Nigel enjoys creating adventure stories and visiting local bubble tea shops.
About the Artwork
Medium: Drawing
Size: 7”H x 6"W
Artistic Statement: 'Silent Warfare' is a drawing inspired by Nigel's experience with the BC mining industry combined his interests in adventure themes, world building, and concept art.
While fictional at their core, most of Nigel's adventure drawings are concerned less with 'whisking viewers away to a different land', rather, he hopes each drawing deepens the understanding and informs others of our own world by shedding light on aspects of life that may go unnoticed, or things that humanity takes for granted.
In Silent Warfare's case, one takes note of the quiet contrast between nature and the man-made; the surrounding forest, and the abandoned excavator. Thousands of abandoned mining operations and infrastructure are scattered across Canada which slowly being overgrown. The ecologies of wildlife affected by mining cannot speak and can only watch industries move across the land.
The character in the scene takes a moment to contemplate on their surroundings as the silent warfare between the natural world and modern industrialization continues.
