Steven's Terrain Vague series explores the imaginary, obsolete, uneasy and forgotten through mixed-media reliefs. These works delve into esoteric concepts, revealing sites with mysterious purposes and obscured locations. Terrain Vague delves into undefined spaces, embodying the potential, ambiguity, and enigma inherent in urban landscapes—the urban "other" hidden in plain sight. Through his work, Steven unravels the layers of these overlooked spaces, inviting viewers to contemplate the often-unseen narratives embedded within. The series challenges perceptions of what is visible and raises questions about the transformative nature of environments over time. Steven's exploration of these neglected corners echoes the idea that within the everyday urban sprawl lies a realm of uncharted possibilities and stories waiting to be uncovered, reimagined, and appreciated for their intricate and often forgotten significance.

Fortran Phosgene

Relief, India ink on poplar and birch, 30” x 30” x 4”

JRB Gallery • Oklahoma City, OK 

Fortran Phosgene explores the tension between technological precision and the unsettling force of unpredictability. The title evokes the intersection of the methodical, calculated logic of the early Fortran computer programming language and the dangerous volatility of phosgene gas, a toxic agent used during the first World War, symbolizing the potentially perilous outcomes of scientific advancement.

The work creates an atmosphere of mystery and volatile energy, mirroring the unpredictable nature of human innovation and its consequences. The work encourages viewers to reflect on the dualities of progress—where innovation coexists with risk, and structure collides with chaos.

Mathématiques de l'espace lointain (Deep Space Mathematics)

Relief, India ink on poplar and birch, 6.5" X 6.5" X 2.25"

Pricing and more information available upon request info@ss-vi.com 

Mathématiques de l’espace lointain (Deep Space Mathematics) evokes the enigmatic, hidden structures that govern the universe. The work suggests a dimensional field of planes and voids—an abstracted celestial map or an unseen equation etched into the fabric of space itself.

The monochromatic black surface absorbs light, emphasizing the tactile interplay of depth and shadow. Like ancient star charts or cryptic mathematical theorems, the piece suggests an intricate system just beyond human perception—an unseen language inscribed across the cosmos, waiting to be deciphered.

Tragbare Destabilisierungseinheit [TDE9], alias “Der Dachs”

(Portable Destabilization Unit [TDE9], aka “The Badger”)

Relief. Wood, metal, rubber, plastic, vinyl, acrylic paint, 20" X 13" X 4"

Pricing and more information available upon request info@ss-vi.com 

Following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the onset of German unification, Western intelligence agents uncovered a peculiar and enigmatic device in an abandoned building near Leipzig. Upon closer investigation, they identified it as the TDE9—an experimental apparatus developed in the mid-1960s by the East German Ministry for State Security, or Stasi, as part of a covert mood control program targeting civilian populations.

Designed to operate in conjunction with an external transmitter—whose whereabouts remain unknown—the TDE9 emitted ultra-low frequency signals engineered to permeate dense structures such as apartment blocks, universities, bus stations and office buildings. Undercover Stasi operatives meticulously observed the psychological and behavioral effects on unsuspecting occupants, with often disturbing and tragic consequences.

For maximum effectiveness, the TDE9 and its accompanying transmitter were typically concealed in basements or specially constructed cavities beneath ground floors, earning it the Stasi code name "Der Dachs"—The Badger.

Monument to Norwegian Maritime Disasters 

Relief. Acrylic on poplar, birch and metal, 12" X 12" X 3"

Pricing and more information available upon request info@ss-vi.com 

The Hustadvika region, located along the Norwegian coast between Kristiansund and Molde, has long been infamous for its treacherous waters, claiming countless vessels over the centuries. Even today, the Admiralty Sailing Directions—the authoritative 75-volume guide for merchant mariners—cautions seafarers about the perilous conditions of this unforgiving stretch of sea.

Monument to Norwegian Maritime Disasters pays tribute to the many shipwrecks that have accumulated in these waters over time. The work evokes scenes of wooden-hulled vessels resting in fractured stillness, their masts toppled and splintered by the relentless North Atlantic. Among them is a remarkably well-preserved 300-year-old Dutch merchant ship, its cargo of bricks intact—silent relics safeguarded by the icy Arctic depths.

Derbyshire Center for Magnetic Tape Data Research 

Relief. Acrylic on poplar and birch, 24" X 24" X 2"

Pricing and more information available upon request info@ss-vi.com 

The Derbyshire Center for Magnetic Tape Data Research (DCMTDR) is an expansive, climate-controlled, and fireproof complex consisting of 25 buildings dedicated to preserving copies of every known analog tape recording on Earth. This monumental archive was conceived after a decade-long crisis at the Library of Congress, where playback and recording equipment—procured under dubious circumstances—proved to be poorly manufactured, with replacement parts slow to produce and prohibitively expensive. When the contractor ultimately filed for bankruptcy, leaving thousands of machines inoperative and obsolete, the equipment was sold to a Malaysian salvage firm for an undisclosed sum, threatening the loss of countless historical recordings.

In response, the Magnetic Tape Data Preservation Society (MTDPS)—a consortium of electronics manufacturers, recording industry professionals, and preservationists—rescued the vast tape inventory and commissioned the Belgian architecture firm Waugh & Flooder to design and construct the DCMTDR complex. More than just an archive, the facility houses world-renowned research, production, and education centers, fully equipped with meticulously maintained audio technologies spanning the last century.

Named in honor of Delia Derbyshire—a pioneer of British electronic music and the visionary behind the iconic 1963 Doctor Who theme—the center embodies a commitment to preserving and advancing the legacy of magnetic tape recording. The plan view of the DCMTDR, as depicted in this work, echoes the circular reels of early data storage systems, reinforcing its role as a guardian of forgotten yet vital technologies.

Burning Mountain

Relief. Acrylic on poplar and birch, 12" DIA. X 7" H

Contact Steven for pricing and more information info@ss-vi.com 

Subterranean fires are a natural and mesmerizing phenomenon found across the globe, where vast coal seams ignite deep underground, some smoldering for hundreds or even thousands of years.

This phenomenon is echoed in Burning Mountain—a jagged mass that is being consumed from within, its fiery core gradually devouring the structure from the inside out, charring and destabilizing its exterior. Over time, the once-solid form will be reduced to fragile slag, vulnerable to collapse through erosion and seismic activity, eventually leaving behind only traces of its former presence.