Surgical Landscapes

Muntarbhorn’s practice further extends into painting, particularly in the ‘Red Spine’, Blue Spine ‘ and Gold Spine series, where gelatin silver prints are transformed into painterly canvases. Muntarbhorn applies  oil paint onto the gelatin silver prints – a gesture inspired by Barnett Newman’s ‘Onement I’ (1948) and Lucio Fontana’s iconic spatial slashes. Using inherited surgical tools alongside a palette knife, “surgery is performed” on the photograph, making each incision a deliberate act of creation and reflection. This practice mirrors Muntarbhorn’s grandfather’s life-extending surgeries, encapsulating the artist’s desire to extend life and medical connections through their work.