4×4 Math, 2020

I discovered the cultural practice known as rolling coal—that is, revving an engine to intentionally discharge plumes of diesel smoke for political statement and entertainment. Rolling coal has become an aesthetic and cultural expression, signifying anti-environmentalism and a protest against emission standards established by Obama’s administration in 2014. This dominating act of releasing smoke is an assertion of toxic masculinity, violence, and hostility. In response, I began making several bodies of work: an essay film synthesizing found footage of rolling coal with my own adventure attending truck rallies in search of someone interested in making paintings using the exhaust pipe as a paint brush; while also in my studio, I have been making paintings based on social media image-macro memes from truck culture about rolling coal.