Artist Statement

These recent works are collages and paintings of romantic, dream-like visuals based on Polaroids and vintage film photography. Most of the images depict California based plants and cactus flowers. Botanical images paired with hazy bright neon abstract bars create a new visual path through the composition and reference a relationship similar to a Rothko but through a post 80’s lens. The inclusion of a “Polaroid inspired” border surrounding the main focal image creates the idea of a picture with in a picture and touches on photo referential painting. It allows the viewer to contemplate the surrounding margins as an important and meaningful presence to the image itself. The play of dead space contrasts to the trend in digital design to collage a composition with images or advertisement bombardment. Michael Harnish, Los Angeles, 2018