Gallery 3 — KATE MULHOLLAND

Harvey (2017)

Harvey (2017), 2022-2023. Acrylic on cotton. 59” x 45.5”.

This piece moves beyond the rectangular format to explore the interplay of shape and layers. "Harvey (2017)" commemorates the most destructive flood to hit Houston in over a century, sparking ongoing discussions about the city's drainage systems and flood resilience. The painting presents an aerial view of the flooding, inspired by news drone news footage and aerial photography documenting the submerged downtown area from North to South.

ITC (2019)

ITC (2019), 2020. Acrylic on cotton. 36” x 79”

This work echoes the trailing shape of the smoke plume from the 2019 ITC Deer Park terminal fire—one of Houston’s most significant industrial disasters in recent memory. That day, the plume was visible from the artist’s downtown studio, from over 35 miles away at the Galveston Ferry, and as far as Austin, 162 miles out.

Sparked by a failed circulation pump, the blaze burned for three days, igniting 14 chemical storage tanks and releasing carcinogenic benzene and other toxic fumes. The painting’s jagged form mirrors both the tank farm layout and the drifting plume. At the same time, its layered surfaces—evoking the view from beneath murky water—reflect the slower, less visible damage: contaminated waterways, lingering benzene in the air, and public trust eroded by delayed warnings.

The ITC fire revealed critical gaps in Houston’s safety systems. This series stands as both a record and a warning: a reminder of what happens when unchecked industrial growth collides with inadequate regulation, leaving nearby communities exposed and unprotected.