Three of my favorite “Oil-Of-The-Gowanus” series in one 10″ x 30″ triptych printed on metallic paper bonded with plexiglass, made to float flatly against a wall.

Image #1: Is it a woman’s form? The oil patterns on the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn, NY, come together in the strangest ways, sometimes for seconds at a time, to form recognizable shapes highlighted by the morning sun. ©Mark D Phillips

Image #2: Oil Maple Leaf patterns swirl on the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn, NY, caused by the coal tar and oil seeping to the surface. ©Mark D Phillips

Image #3: Oil pattern forms the continent of Africa on the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn, NY, with a colorful addition of the island of Madagascar like a rainbow in the corner. ©Mark D Phillips

Sewage flowed into the canal as early as 1858, and by the 1880’s the waterway had gained the moniker “Lavendar Lake” for its odorous qualities. The current cost of the overall EPA Superfund cleanup plan is estimated to be over $1.5 billion, and the entire project won’t be completed until mid-2023. The Gowanus Canal is located in one of the densest population centers in America.

If you want to learn more about the history, be sure to visit my website, GOWANUSCANAL.US