Still Life

At the peak of its relevance, Still Life was an art form replete with political and philosophical meaning. So-called Vanitas paintings presented an indictment of mindless consumption and the vain pursuit of power. Often, such works targeted specific members of the ruling class, including kings, emperors, and religious figureheads. Even paintings of fruit baskets and floral arrangements concealed a sobering message: life, like the fruit and the flowers, will soon be gone. Nowadays, Still Life has been mostly been emptied of any symbolic depth. Mass market prints of food and flowers adorning chain restaurant walls are meant to look pretty—nothing more. This project is devoted to the creation of Still Life art relevant to our contemporary moment while, at the same time, grappling with the genre’s political and philosophical underpinnings.