Created for Cuturi Gallery's 'In Full Bloom' exhibition, a varied and breathtaking selection of works by 12 contemporary artists from around the world honour the figure of the flower in the history of art.
Flowers have long been a favourite subject amongst artists. Depiction of the flora elements can be found in many of the most significant art movements. For instance, white lilies symbolise the purity and holiness of Virgin Mary during the Renaissance period; the Dutch masters took a more delicate approach to chiaroscuro in their depiction of flower still life while many Impressionists and Post-Impressionists painted flowers that were personally meaningful to them - like Van Gogh and his sunflowers.
'There are always flowers for those who want to see them', says Henri Mattise, the founder of Fauvism whose blossoms are characterized by pure vivid colours and bold distinctive brushstrokes. Pop Artist Andy Warhol created blocks of timeless and iconic daisies in the 1960s, which are still universally celebrated in the art and fashion world today. From the end of the 20th century onward, Jeff Koons' 43-foot-tall flower puppy still waits patiently at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. The public statue was designed to create and share, in Jeff Koons' own words, "optimism, confidence and security".
Pencil on paper
January 2020