Peel Slowly, 2019
Oil on canvas
24 x 30 inches
Inspiration
Initially conceived as a class assignment, this painting has grown to become a standout piece in my portfolio. It belongs to a pop art series that draws inspiration from Andy Warhol's iconic album cover design for The Velvet Underground.
(Left: album cover, Middle: album cover sticker, Right: painting)
The album's design was distinctive and groundbreaking as the banana was a removable sticker that revealed a pink banana underneath, intentionally sexualized by Warhol to embrace his sexuality, which was then in question.
Close- ups
One of the significant difficulties encountered while creating this artwork was the meticulous process of painting the pink banana, adding layer upon layer until achieving a realistic and detailed result.
Blending contrary shades of browns and yellows to imitate the effect of realism within the bananas skin.
A favored detail of this painting is the bottom of the banana which helps assist the illusion of realism by creating depth.
"In keeping with the album's unique concept, the painting features a signature that replaces Warhol's name with the instruction found on the banana sticker - 'Peel slowly and see'. The modified signature, reading simply 'Peel Slowly', adds an additional layer of meaning to the artwork."
The process
When initially working on the painting, the choice of background was uncertain, but in the spirit of Pop Art, the decision was made to incorporate the style's aesthetic. The polka dot background pays tribute to Roy Lichtenstein's comic book-inspired works.
Conclusion videos
Footage of completed painting.
Footage of the finished painting while The Fugees "Fu-Gee-La" plays in the background.
