An Illustrated History of the World Since the Advent of the Industrial Revolution is a series of abstract pen and ink illustrations by Blake Manning; it’s a visual epic; art as social criticism; a self-contained riot.
Viewed independently, the 16 intensely detailed illustrations are pure chaotic abstraction. When considered in relation to the long, literary titles assigned to each piece, logic and meaning are implied. Gradually, a critical question emerges: what have we done to the Earth?
RECENTLY ON VIEW:
APRIL 22 – MAY 26
ArtLove Salon
110 Union Street, 5th Floor
Seattle, WA 98101
ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
An Illustrated History consists of 17 (and counting) pen and ink drawings on illustration board, ranging in size from 5×7” to 27×40”. Magnifying glasses are provided for enhanced viewing.
EXAMPLE
9×9” section of a 27×40” illustration
The Tattered Remnants of Our Admittedly Misguided Attempts to Create
Artificial Perfection
in a Naturally (and Necessarily) Imperfect Environment
“Manning’s work leans into tension and absurdity, breaking down what feels familiar into something unsettled and strange. Part critique, part reflection, these drawings ask a quiet but urgent question: what have we done to the Earth?
—PublicDisplay.Art
Seventeen illustrations ranging in size from 5x7" to 27x40"
Photography struggles to capture the detail
Throughout the exhibition, the artist produced a large drawing on glass
Magnifying glasses are provided for enhanced viewing
SALES INFORMATION
Currently, An Illustrated History is only being offered as a complete set for sale or lease to organizations and institutions.
To inquire about private sales and commissions, please contact the artist directly using the form below.
PROJECT STATEMENT
What would you expect to see, given the title of this series?
Factories, automobiles, computers? Microwaved casserole on Styrofoam plates, consumed in the dim light of a TV documentary about desperate, bloody war?
I assure you it’s all contained right here, albeit pulverized from heavy use and the heavy hand of time, and re-rendered in excruciating detail with an aim toward utter nonsense. Nothing on these panels is intended to be recognizable. Forms and figures you see are constructions of your own mind. Watch them distort and disintegrate, corrupted with strange objects and torn apart by unseen forces.
Let this madness stand as a heavy-handed metaphor, expressive of the unaccountable ways we’ve disfigured the natural world with all of our materials and machinations.
Let it stand as my one-man riot; my activism through art; my vigorous opposition to the ungodly cathedrals we build, every day, with our teetering heaps of unnecessary rubbish.
And let the verbose formality of the drawing titles begin to harness the persuasive power of literature, so that, when combined with the emotional possibilities of the visual arts, the two forces may collaborate to lead us to an overwhelming question,
What have we done to the Earth?
Finally, let us—through deep consideration—find inspiration to stand and to act toward a shared future that we build only in ways that are natural, meaningful, and sublime.
REACH OUT
Declaration of Authenticity: Blake Manning does not, and will not, use artificial intelligence in his work, and actively avoids the use of all things artificial.