Simply put, fumage is a way of painting with smoke. Originating in the 1900s, fumage is a technique that many famous artists have employed. An artist uses the traces of soot left by candle smoke, match, or kerosene lamp to develop different impressions upon a surface.
The pictorial technique was used by the Surrealists and initiated by Wolfgang Paalen in 1936.The smoking technique was used by several artists such as Willy Bosschem, Roberto Matta, Alberto Burri, Burhan Doğançay, Yves Klein and Otto Piene.
Smoking also consisted of walking the flame of a candle over a surface covered with fresh paint.
Interview with fumage artist Steven Spazuk
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Artist: Michael Fennel