Shawn Huckins, a New Hampshire-based painter, presents a new series titled "Slow Burn" that juxtaposes catastrophic scenes of war and wildfires with domestic curtains and floral drapery. The paintings, such as "War Cloud and Floral Blue Curtain" (2026) and "Wildfire Sunset Behind Sheer Curtain" (2026), use theatrical framing to depict destruction as both a distant spectacle and an encroaching reality. The exhibition runs from July 11 to August 22 at K Contemporary in Denver.
The series matters because it critiques contemporary complacency and privilege in the face of climate crisis and conflict, challenging the romanticized landscapes of the Hudson River School tradition. By placing viewers in a safe, interior vantage point while showing escalating external disasters, Huckins highlights the cognitive dissonance of witnessing destruction from a distance, urging reflection on how society consumes catastrophe as entertainment.