Fire Smoke 1968

Vilen Barsky's 1968 work, "Fire Smoke", is an abstract piece using the literal effects of fire on paper as its subject. The scorched paper appears almost skeletal, with burnt holes creating a sense of absence or even a ghostly presence. Barsky was a prolific Russian artist known for his experimentation and use of unusual materials. The work's starkness and the raw, visceral qualities of its medium are hallmarks of abstract expressionism, a movement that gained prominence in the mid-20th century.