What is the bounty of today? This question is at the center of my Food series, which presents hyper-realistic, maybe even gaudy, depictions of everyday grocery items, inviting the viewer to reflect upon the commodification of comfort.
Pulling inspiration from both the classic Dutch still life paintings—traditionally used to represent the prosperity of a household as well as a reflection of what people value—and the grand Pop art tradition of incorporating representations of branded foodstuffs, I am taking a peek inside the modern pantry.
Painstakingly depicted in coloured pencil, these mundane grocery items are put on an approachable pedestal. Clad in austere hyper-realism surrounded in layers of bygone domestic kitsch, this series pokes at a false sense of class while each drawing’s insecurities are bolstered by the bravado of an elaborate and ostentatious gold frame.
