{"id":1970577,"date":"2026-06-03T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1970577"},"modified":"2026-06-03T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T21:00:00","slug":"wildfires-and-war-rage-in-shawn-huckins-theatrical-paintings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1970577","title":{"rendered":"Wildfires and War Rage in Shawn Huckins\u2019 Theatrical Paintings"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content prose-colossal max-w-none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default entry-header is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"colo-post-featured-image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1320\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/huckins-4.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"a painting by Shawn Huckins of curtains opening to reveal a landscape\" style=\"object-fit:cover\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cAmong The Sierra Nevada and Green Curtain (after Bierstadt)\u201d (2026), oil and acrylic on canvas, 65 x 98 inches. All images courtesy of K Contemporary, shared with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0bc941e6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h1 class=\"alignfull wp-block-post-title\">Wildfires and War Rage in Shawn Huckins\u2019 Theatrical Paintings<\/h1>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-meta is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2026-06-03T12:32:00-05:00\">June 3, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"taxonomy-category wp-block-post-terms\"><a class=\"category-art\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/art\/\" rel=\"tag\">Art<\/a><a class=\"category-climate\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/climate\/\" rel=\"tag\">Climate<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/gebert\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">Grace Ebert<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-share-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6c531013 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing has-visible-labels has-icon-color is-style-logos-only is-layout-flex wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-is-layout-flex\">\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-facebook has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F06%2Fslow-burn-shawn-huckins-landscape-paintings%2F&amp;title=Wildfires%20and%20War%20Rage%20in%20Shawn%20Huckins%27%20Theatrical%20Paintings\" aria-label=\"Share\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tShare\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-mail has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#dce3afa9beb6b9bfa8e18bb5b0b8bab5aeb9aff9eeecbdb2b8f9eeec8bbdaef9eeec8ebdbbb9f9eeecb5b2f9eeec8fb4bdabb2f9eeec94a9bfb7b5b2aff9eeebf9eeec88b4b9bda8aeb5bfbdb0f9eeec8cbdb5b2a8b5b2bbaffabdb1ace7beb3b8a5e18bb5b0b8bab5aeb9aff9eeecbdb2b8f9eeec8bbdaef9eeec8ebdbbb9f9eeecb5b2f9eeec8fb4bdabb2f9eeec94a9bfb7b5b2aff9eeebf9eeec88b4b9bda8aeb5bfbdb0f9eeec8cbdb5b2a8b5b2bbaff9eeecf999eef9e4ecf9e5e8f9eeecb4a8a8acaff9ef9df9ee9af9ee9aabababf2a8b4b5afb5afbfb3b0b3afafbdb0f2bfb3b1f9ee9aeeeceeeaf9ee9aeceaf9ee9aafb0b3abf1bea9aeb2f1afb4bdabb2f1b4a9bfb7b5b2aff1b0bdb2b8afbfbdacb9f1acbdb5b2a8b5b2bbaff9ee9a\" aria-label=\"Email\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tEmail\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><button class=\"simplefavorite-button preset\" data-postid=\"474674\" data-siteid=\"1\" data-groupid=\"1\" data-favoritecount=\"0\"><i class=\"sf-icon-bookmark\"><\/i>Bookmark<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>In <em>Slow Burn<\/em>, <a href=\"https:\/\/shawnhuckins.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Shawn Huckins<\/a> puts the cognitive dissonance that defines our current era in stark relief. The New Hampshire-based painter has long challenged American mythology and collective aggrandizing by reinterpreting canonical artworks and visual languages. His series have commented on the U.S.\u2019s proclivity for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2018\/06\/meticulous-acrylic-paintings-by-shawn-huckins\/\">erasing history<\/a> and the ways <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2022\/05\/shawn-huckins-dirty-laundry\/\">our garments<\/a> convey social status and class. In this new body of work, he directs us to the contradictory experience of witnessing destruction as both a spectacle and a distant occurrence. <\/p>\n<p><em>Slow Burn<\/em> presents a suite of landscapes, each veiled by curtains. Floral drapery flanks a catastrophic explosion, a sliver of sunlight peeks through a decorative <em>toile de jouy<\/em> pattern, and delicate lace veils a wildfire in the distance. Opened just enough to allow a partial glimpse, the curtains suggest a theatrical scene in which the raging disasters of war and the climate crisis are ongoing.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/huckins-7-960x1191.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-474674\" title=\"\u201cWar Cloud and Floral Blue Curtain\u201d (2026), oil and acrylic on canvas, 37 x 30 inches\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cWar Cloud and Floral Blue Curtain\u201d (2026), oil and acrylic on canvas, 37 x 30 inches\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cWar Cloud and Floral Blue Curtain\u201d (2026), oil and acrylic on canvas, 37 x 30 inches\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"1191\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/huckins-7-960x1191.jpg\" alt=\"a painting by Shawn Huckins of curtains opening to reveal a fire\" class=\"wp-image-474683\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cWar Cloud and Floral Blue Curtain\u201d (2026), oil and acrylic on canvas, 37 x 30 inches<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In contrast to the 19th-century landscapes synonymous with the Hudson River School, Huckins stages scenes in which romanticism and idealized vistas are long gone. While the viewer peers outward from the safety of a home, the fires and bombs that characterize the outside world inch closer, and the complacency, privilege, and pure luck that have provided protection thus far are ever more precarious.<\/p>\n<p><em>Slow Burn<\/em> runs from July 11 to August 22 at <a href=\"https:\/\/kcontemporaryart.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">K Contemporary<\/a> in Denver. Until then, find more from the artist on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/shawn_huckins\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/huckins-1-960x1200.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-474674\" title=\"\u201cWildfire Sunset Behind Sheer Curtain\u201d (2026), acrylic on canvas, 60 x 48 inches\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cWildfire Sunset Behind Sheer Curtain\u201d (2026), acrylic on canvas, 60 x 48 inches\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cWildfire Sunset Behind Sheer Curtain\u201d (2026), acrylic on canvas, 60 x 48 inches\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/huckins-1-960x1200.jpg\" alt=\"a painting by Shawn Huckins of a sheer curtain veiling a plume of smoke\" class=\"wp-image-474677\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cWildfire Sunset Behind Sheer Curtain\u201d (2026), acrylic on canvas, 60 x 48 inches<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/huckins-8.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-474674\" title=\"\u201cFirst Sun and Green Curtain\u201d (2026), oil on canvas, 64 x 96 inches\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cFirst Sun and Green Curtain\u201d (2026), oil on canvas, 64 x 96 inches\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cFirst Sun and Green Curtain\u201d (2026), oil on canvas, 64 x 96 inches\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1341\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/huckins-8.jpg\" alt=\"a painting by Shawn Huckins of curtains opening to reveal a sunrise\" class=\"wp-image-474684\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cFirst Sun and Green Curtain\u201d (2026), oil on canvas, 64 x 96 inches<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/huckins-5-960x1155.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-474674\" title=\"\u201cWildfire Sunrise Behind Floral Lace Curtain\u201d (2026), acrylic on canvas, 36 x 30 inches\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cWildfire Sunrise Behind Floral Lace Curtain\u201d (2026), acrylic on canvas, 36 x 30 inches\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cWildfire Sunrise Behind Floral Lace Curtain\u201d (2026), acrylic on canvas, 36 x 30 inches\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"1155\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/huckins-5-960x1155.jpg\" alt=\"a painting by Shawn Huckins of a sheer curtain veiling a fire\" class=\"wp-image-474681\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cWildfire Sunrise Behind Floral Lace Curtain\u201d (2026), acrylic on canvas, 36 x 30 inches<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/huckins-6-960x1189.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-474674\" title=\"\u201cWar Cloud and Glowing Blue Curtain\u201d (2026),  oil and acrylic on canvas, 60 x 48 inches\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cWar Cloud and Glowing Blue Curtain\u201d (2026),  oil and acrylic on canvas, 60 x 48 inches\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cWar Cloud and Glowing Blue Curtain\u201d (2026),  oil and acrylic on canvas, 60 x 48 inches\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"1189\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/huckins-6-960x1189.jpg\" alt=\"a painting by Shawn Huckins of curtains opening to reveal a fire\" class=\"wp-image-474682\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cWar Cloud and Glowing Blue Curtain\u201d (2026),  oil and acrylic on canvas, 60 x 48 inches<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/huckins-3-960x1180.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-474674\" title=\"\u201cFirst Sun and Toile de Jouy Curtain (2)\u201d (2026), oil on canvas, 32 x 26 inches\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cFirst Sun and Toile de Jouy Curtain (2)\u201d (2026), oil on canvas, 32 x 26 inches\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cFirst Sun and Toile de Jouy Curtain (2)\u201d (2026), oil on canvas, 32 x 26 inches\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"1180\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/huckins-3-960x1180.jpg\" alt=\"a painting by Shawn Huckins of curtains opening to reveal a fire\" class=\"wp-image-474679\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cFirst Sun and Toile de Jouy Curtain (2)\u201d (2026), oil on canvas, 32 x 26 inches<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/huckins-2-960x1174.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-474674\" title=\"\u201cSunset and Glowing Green Curtain Study (after Church)\u201d (2026), oil and acrylic on canvas, 32 x 26 inches\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cSunset and Glowing Green Curtain Study (after Church)\u201d (2026), oil and acrylic on canvas, 32 x 26 inches\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cSunset and Glowing Green Curtain Study (after Church)\u201d (2026), oil and acrylic on canvas, 32 x 26 inches\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"1174\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/huckins-2-960x1174.jpg\" alt=\"a painting by Shawn Huckins of curtains opening to reveal a landscape\" class=\"wp-image-474678\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cSunset and Glowing Green Curtain Study (after Church)\u201d (2026), oil and acrylic on canvas, 32 x 26 inches<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"after-entry\" role=\"complementary\" aria-label=\"After Entry\">\n<section id=\"block-16\" class=\"widget widget_block widget_text\">\n<p><mark style=\"background-color:#88caf0\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>Do stories and artists like this matter to you?<\/strong><\/mark> Become a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/members\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"118516\">Colossal Member<\/a> now, and support independent arts publishing.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"block-17\" class=\"widget widget_block\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-top is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-top member-benefits is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Hide advertising<\/li>\n<li>Save your favorite articles<\/li>\n<li>Get 15% off 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article<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cAmong The Sierra Nevada and Green Curtain (after Bierstadt)\u201d (2026), oil and acrylic on canvas, 65 x 98 inches. All images courtesy of K Contemporary, shared with permission Wildfires and War Rage in Shawn Huckins\u2019 Theatrical Paintings June 3, 2026 ArtClimate Grace Ebert Share Email Bookmark In Slow Burn, Shawn Huckins puts the cognitive dissonance [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,270],"class_list":["post-1970577","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-thisiscolossal-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1970577","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1970577"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1970577\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1970577"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1970577"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1970577"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}