Why it’s Important to Play
larvae, 2010, charcoal and acrylic on canvas, 40cm x 40cm
I was feeling very organic last weekend so decided to go out and buy some untreated canvas and play around a little. I also remembered that I had two or three potatoes once destined for a hearty mash, just sitting around in the fridge. Who knew that this would be their destination. I made three of these ‘pictures’.
Scroll down for the video, sit back and enjoy, preferably with a bag of no-name potato chips.
Cross the bridge for more pictures, taken by my dear friend Cooper. Thank you, Cooper!
the potatoes look great this way. i wish i could keep them but they must go
i did this one on saturday, it was my first and larger than the second and third. this one is 50cm x 50cm and is hanging in my hallway
the picture inspired me to neaten up my bookshelves. i need more books!
i washed the fabric because i wanted it to be creased. it was fun to see the effect of the potato stamps on wrinkled cotton
carving a potato is scary but fun. and not as easy as i thought
try this at home and let me know how it goes!
hi ghada! really miss you ..
it’s funny that in summer 2008 i bought an untreated canvas and powder colours to be mixed with oil, and started drawing, then I took it up to the roof and creased it, threw it there in the dusty weather..
it is just this summer, and particularly a week ago I took it down to look at it and see what can I make with it :D
now I’m more encouraged to play with it..
it is an unfinished miserable self-portrait :D
can you PLEASE send me a photo of it? i’d love to post it here!
Sure! will do it soon :D
butt clench! butt clench! clench clench clench!
Here are the things that I love about this lot:
I love the expression on her face, slightly tilted down, looking at nothing in partilcular. I can see that the expression could be read as shy, a little out of place, or maybe something caught her attention just outside the picture frame, or (one I can relate to at the moment) a little perplexed just like at the very precise moment when you realize you have misplaced something.
I also love the larvae/girl infested canvas, so many, almost the same and crawling everywhere around her. And I love that she seems not in the least bit distracted by them eventhough it maybe all she’s thinking about.
And thirdly, I love that it’s potatoes, bo6a6, apples of the earth, I like chips, mash, crisps, gratin, baked, boiled……..you can never go wrong with a potato, as you have proved with these images.
Well done Gh!
well, they don’t call me potatohead for nothing.
m, i love your various interpretations. the thing about any work of art is it keeps on giving. i was inspired to do these by some organic sense within me. the product has inspired the thoughts you wrote and those have inspired me further to work on other pieces. if it’s right, it’s eternal.
Wonderful work. “Larvae” is fantastic. I like your brain, Ghadah, I sure do, and the images and projects it cooks up.
thank you, katy. i like my brain most of the time. but sometimes i need to shut it off and it won’t listen.