You find some pretty horrific subjects for your work, and the Gulf spill is only the latest example. But are you also rendering these things beautiful in some way?
Philosophically, that asks an interesting question about the nature of our perception of beauty. I’ve been cogitating this for a while, and it seems as though the notion of beauty evolves with society. There’s no doubt that we really only appreciate something when it’s gone or close to gone. I think beauty is the graphic interpretation of a collective and a personal nostalgia. At what point did we start thinking that grungy old coal hoppers are beautiful, for example? Now of course, you and I know that they are beautiful, and that has to do with the design — the form and function question. So things are beautiful, but for me oil on water, no matter how I spin it, still feels sinister.

In addition to his book, J Henry Fair has upcoming New York City exhibits at The Gerald Peters Gallery (January 13- February 11) and The Cooper Union (opening January 20).