Tidal Fool

Tidal Fool is a typically intricate drawing by Duke Riley, which explores and exposes the beauty of the seas and the destruction humans are causing by allowing trash to flow into the ecosystem. Sea life includes squid, flounder, swordfish, lobsters, seals, narwhals, hammerheads, and sawfish, but also the elusive two-headed dragon fish, giant dual blowhole beasts, mermen, and mermaids. Then there is the trash, which includes tiki drinks, plastic bags, beer cans, fast food containers, paint buckets, N95 masks, MetroCards, tampons, and vibrators. Some of the contents are just comical, like the rat riding a Chinese junk boat made from a Coke can. It is this balance of the playful, the wasteful, and the joyful that summarizes Duke’s statement that we must pay attention to how we treat our great oceans before it is too late.

The Seamen colorway features a rich slate navy blue background and light blue linework throughout. Duke colored certain elements using historic colors, including soft yellow, greenish brown, red, and seafoam green, which are strategically scattered amidst the sea life and trash. The panel maps provide a guide to which elements are colored in, so choose wisely.

Duke Riley received his BFA from Rhode Island School of Design and his MFA from Pratt Institute. Riley is fascinated by maritime history and events around urban waterways. His signature style interweaves historical and contemporary events with elements of folklore and myth to create allegorical histories. His re-imagined narratives comment on a range of issues from the cultural impact of over development and environmental destruction of waterfront communities to contradictions within political ideologies and the role of the artist in society.