PERREAULT Magazine August 2014 | Page 48

Zaria Forman has created a series of hyper realistic drawings which represent spectacular icy landscapes.

Zaria Forman, 31, is an activist for the environment and has created the landscapes to document the ever-changing beauty of regions affected by climate change.

Forman, from Brooklyn in New York, led an Arctic expedition to the North West Coast of Greenland purposely with the aim of creating art inspired by the dramatic geography.

Her mother, Rena Bass Forman, originally came up with the idea but passed away before her daughter could see it through. Zaria promised to carry out the journey in her name.

After formal training at Skidmore College, Forman now exhibits extensively in galleries and venues throughout the United States and overseas.

Some of Forman's drawings served as the set design for the classic ballet Giselle, and were used in the set design for House of Cards, a Netflix TV series directed by David Fincher and starring Kevin Spacey.

Artist Zaria Forman has caught people’s imagination and interest through her art which helps remind us of the dangers posed by climate change. Zaria travels to breathtaking places around the world and captures their essence in her drawings.

As she writes:

“In August 2012, I led an Arctic expedition up the NW coast of Greenland. Called 'Chasing the Light', it was the second expedition the mission of which was to create art inspired by this dramatic geography. The first, in 1869, was led by the American painter William Bradford. My mother, Rena Bass Forman, had conceived the idea for the voyage, but did not live to see it through. During the months of her illness her dedication to the expedition never wavered and I promised to carry out her final journey.”

Forman sought to fulfill her late mother Rena's wish to take an Arctic voyage similar to the one the American painter William Bradford took in 1869.

ZARIA FORMAN

AN ARTIST WITH A CAUSE

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