The inspiration for this was the term ‘Tutti Frutti ‘, which is derived from the italian ‘All Fruits’. It has been used and abused in a number of different contexts. I.e everything from confectionery, smoothies, ice creams to burlesque entertainment. The etymology of the word is thought to be American-Italian restaurant speak and resultet in various popular recipes including tasty ice cream.
For me personally, tutti frutti is fun and light hearted emigré Italian. On a more serious note, I draw on the symbolism of the Memento mori tradition e.g. in Dutch golden age vanitas in still life. In that genre perishable goods like berries, fruits and flowers are included in the artistic compositions. It demonstrates that we must live while we can. Pick me before I am too ripe or even rotting as it were.
On this canvas, you might notice a woman gazing right at you through some very saturated blue eyes, wearing bright red lipstick as delicately and accurately applied to her lips. On her head, there are cherries, strawberries, boysenberries, blackberries, mulberries; and plums. The background is a gradient from light blue to a high-chroma blue. Find more paintings in the series Misc. The painting style is neither Dutch nor traditional. It belongs in our age, not least because the pigments found in the painting are contemporary synthetic jobs og high lightfastness. Besides Boysenberries were developed by the farmer Walter Knott in the 1920s by crossing raspberries, blackberries, and loganberries.
Title/Titel/Titel/Títolo #6I, Acrylic and oil on canvas/ Akryl und Öl auf Leinwand/Akryl og olie på lærred/acrílico e óleo sobre tela 130x80cm.
