Andreas Glad started this project with building three-dimensional models, which he then used in his studio and outdoors to create motifs for his paintings. At Market Art Fair 2021, the model has the character of an abandoned oasis in a desert-like landscape with only a few houses, swimming pools and palm trees. The model is based on an actual place and building (the Elrod House in Palm Springs, known from the 1971 film classic Diamonds Are Forever) but made as Glad’s own futuristic interpretation.

The model and paintings with the Elrod House as reference is displayed along with a series of paintings depicting simple wooden structures standing on poles in the sea. They look like they have been made to cater for a sudden need for shelter. The DIY-like execution amplifies the feeling of uneasiness and creates a contrast to the carefully executed paintings. The climate change will affect the Californian desert and the weather will inevitably be both hotter and drier in a near future. “Diamonds Are Forever” depicts two of the climate crisis extremes, drought and flood, and the vulnerability of the human civilization.

Glad creates a feeling of emptiness in his works, both alluring and frightening. He deliberately increases the contrast between light and shadow in his motifs to get an almost relentless feeling of light. Glad’s accuracy, attention to details and way of working are crucial elements in his paintings. They reveal that what he builds, and paints are essential to him and for his message to the viewers.