Created between 1983 and 1990, the “Disaster Paintings” are a collection of pieces by artist Donald Sultan that portrays different calamities from modern times, such as fires, industrial destruction and accidents. Eleven of the large pieces, most 8-by-8 feet in size, are currently on display at the Lowe Art Museum. Eerie color schemes add to the strength and message of the images, which explore the concepts of destruction and reconstruction.

In his speech at the opening for the exhibition on Sept. 29, Sultan recalled how this move inspired him. “I got fascinated with how we live and how these huge architectural structures can die,” Sultan said. His fascination comes to life in his paintings, such as “Dead Plant,” which illustrates scenes like an abandoned steel plant, or “Double Church,” which shows St. Paul’s Cathedral still standing amidst the aftermath of the Blitz in London.

One characteristic of Sultan’s work that intrigued the crowd was his use of industrial material, for which he is well known. Sultan employed latex, tar, linoleum and Masonite in the creation of the works. This reflects aspects of his background, such as his father’s tire business or, particularly, his training in theatre and experience setting up stages, which guided the structural side of the project.

Sultan’s extensive knowledge in art history is also a distinguishing factor in his work. He listed Goya, Turner, Pollock and Rococo paintings as a few of his influences for this series. Jill Deupi, director and chief curator at the Lowe, noted Sultan’s influences in his work.

“This is, in part, why ‘The Disaster Paintings’ is such a perfect fit for the Lowe, because we are committed to exploring contemporary art through 5,000 years of culture,” Deupi said.

On organizing the event, Deupi expressed the complexities of executing an exhibit of such sort. “There are only 10 works in the exhibition, so it sounds like it might be really simple, but in fact, it’s incredibly time-consuming and complicated,” Deupi said.