Glitter and Gold

The Resilient Glimmer: Channeling the Primal Energy of „Glitter and Gold“

My large-scale, mixed-media work on canvas is not a mere illustration of Barns Courtney’s „Glitter and Gold“; rather, it serves as a direct synesthetic transmission of the physical and emotional energy experienced while listening. The painting is a visual echo of the track: an explosive conflict between the gravitational weight of being and the untamed urge toward self-elevation.

The palette is deliberately constrained to a dramatic minimum: Black and Gold with subtle shimmering accents. The Black—applied in thick, gestural layers of acrylic—forms the foundation, symbolizing the ungrounded, the primal, the earthbound. It is the shadow, the inherent gravity, the foundational matter of existence that attempts to hold us down.

Yet, this profound darkness is ruptured by an insurgent energy. True to the song’s mantra, „I am flesh and I am bone, rise up, ting ting, like glitter and gold, I’ve got fire in my soul,“ the surface is violently broken open through the application of gold leaf and black metal foil. The gold leaf is not smoothly applied; it aggressively fragments, tearing through the surrounding blackness in fine, intricate structures. These golden veins are not decorative; they are visual shockwaves—representing the „fire in the soul,“ the rebellious, indestructible inner glow that fights to free itself from the dark.

The black metal foil introduces another layer of complexity. It reflects light differently depending on the viewer’s angle, generating a dynamic shimmer and lending the surface a tactile density. This material quality signifies the human “flesh and bone”—a material yet resilient casing that contains both inner turmoil and formidable strength.

The work compels the viewer to embrace duality: one must acknowledge the darkness and weight of the foundation to fully appreciate the beauty and power of the gold-laced resurgence. It is an act of artistic alchemy, where the simple matter (Black) is transformed into something resilient and radiant by the will and energy of the spirit (Gold). The painting, therefore, stands as an affirmation: true strength is manifested not in the absence of darkness, but in the unwavering ability to illuminate within it.

Listen to the song on youtube here.

Mixed Media on Canvas | Gold Leaf elements in gold and black, Structure Paste, Gold Glitter Particles | 100x100cm

PRICE: 6.900 €