Iorek Byrnison

Artist Statement:

If you're familiar with the series His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, you may recognise the panserbjørn Iorek, the armored bear king of Svalbard. I have been getting lost in this fictional universe of adventure, philosophy, science, and magic since I was a child, and have a core memory of picking up the first novel, The Golden Compass, at a book fair in the 90's. Two trilogies and several novellas later, the final book The Rose Field was published earlier this year. It's a story I have grown with and keep returning to, and with the recent conclusion of the series it felt fitting to paint it a letter of love and gratitude in return.

“My armor is made of sky iron, made for me. A bear's armor is his soul, just as your dæmon is your soul. You might as well take him away—indicating Pantalaimon—and replace him with a doll full of sawdust. That is the difference."

Dimensions: 280mm (w) x 355mm (h)

Year: 2026

Medium: Watercolour on paper

Framing Specifications: Custom framed with UltraVue UV70 glass, a virtually invisible, anti-reflection glass.

Framed Dimensions: 365mm (w) x 380mm (h)