shelf life
Though I have trained using venerable oil paint, I do not believe that paintings should be limited to only traditional understandings of media or method. Thus, for Shelf Life, I paint with foods and polyurethane.
These mediums allow me to bring together two disparate sensibilities from the mid 20th century. The 1950’s were the heyday for abstract expressionism, a modernist art movement that sought universal connection through the abstract use of formal art elements (line, shape, color). When form became king though, often the works’ content was cast aside as irrelevant. Post-war America also saw the rise of the modern food industry, with numerous developments in the chemistry lab that allowed food to become a quick, easy, and inexpensive affair. In this case, this ease drove out some of the tradition, time and effort previously welcomed in the kitchen. These paintings reflect upon these legacies, exploring their attraction and decadence.
These mediums allow me to bring together two disparate sensibilities from the mid 20th century. The 1950’s were the heyday for abstract expressionism, a modernist art movement that sought universal connection through the abstract use of formal art elements (line, shape, color). When form became king though, often the works’ content was cast aside as irrelevant. Post-war America also saw the rise of the modern food industry, with numerous developments in the chemistry lab that allowed food to become a quick, easy, and inexpensive affair. In this case, this ease drove out some of the tradition, time and effort previously welcomed in the kitchen. These paintings reflect upon these legacies, exploring their attraction and decadence.
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