a floating island (2015-2023) by Cole Sternberg

A floating island took us across the Pacific. 22 days at sea. On a sunny day, between the storms, the ocean recomposed a painting and we were off. This body of work chronicles that journey. Each image was shot while crossing the Ocean on a cargo vessel’s maiden voyage from the shipyard in Western Japan to the U.S in 2015. On the 4th day of this journey, I threw a painting in the Ocean and let it surf the wake. This singular action and resultant composition led me down an 8-year path of environmental exposure, culminating in the painterly component of these works. The painterly elements of a floating island were made in the manner of that initial piece, with layers of acrylic and watercolor...View all