The Battle For The Arctic

Oil on Canvas, 2017
168"x84" (427cm x 213cm)


This painting depicts nearly 150 toys related to the arctic, snowy worlds, or one of the 5 countries vying for control of Arctic territory: Canada, Russia, Norway, Denmark (via Greenland), and America. It also depicts a number of taxidermied arctic animals (mostly from the Natural History Museum of LA), 1 Inuit inuksuk, and 5 political/royal figures representing each country. Putin on his tauntaun, Queen Elizabeth on her AT-ST, William H. Seward (the man who brokered the purchase for Alaska), and Prince Haakon and Prince Frederik surrounded by their viking clan. Centered in front of each flag is a superhero for their respective countries. Lego is a Danish company, and their claim to the arctic is through Greenland, so it's representative is a lego "Greenlandtern". The bronze star at the top center is the "Arctic Star", the medal given to soldiers of the commonwealth who fought in the Arctic campaign during World War 2.