This work is from 2015 and is painted upon a photograph by Edward D Curtis for National Geographic; a Portrait of No Bear (Tseniwasin) and is a continuation of Kamen's longstanding research into Colonialism. It is related to his final series of twelve large paintings. He was working on these works when he passed away unexpectedly in 2015 whilst painting, from an undiagnosed heart condition.

Works in this series gather together many conceptual elements that Barry Kamen was developing during his 30+ career as an artist. There is the use of the graphic script and graphite lines that appear in his work since the early 1990s. Kamen was interested in words or images that connect, or that cleave open possible narratives or futures. The palette of these works is very singular, and although the sky blue and tan/brown have a clear lineage from earlier usage in the ‘Caged Waits’ series of 1991-93, there are colours in this series that are entirely new to his work. Most importantly, it is during these final works of 2015 that the adhesive plaster motif (that functions as a signature in Kamen’s work) is left behind, leaving only its pink colour.

The graphite abstract forms recall Kamen’s lifelong interest in Zen, and his study into existential existence, as well as a fascination with spaces that represent portals of some kind (drains, cages, holes) that can represent confinement, but also transcendence of confinement. The broken, rough (yet exquisite) lines recall somewhat the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat, and the ever-present influence of Cy Twombly is very visible.