Original artwork description:

This painting is the seventh in my series called "Pitara - my Indian treasure trove". This is my still life series in oils that turns a Flemish eye on my country.
While the repertoire of Indian spices is truly varied, in this painting I focus on those that are native to India and truly define our culinary culture - black pepper, turmeric, curry leaves and red chilies.
Black pepper - the king of spices was prized like gold in the ancient world and responsible for attracting a thriving spice trade and invading explorers to India. Turmeric, known in medieval Europe as Indian saffron is today prized for its medicinal and health benefits. Curry Leaves - are again native to India and while valued mostly for its distinctive aroma, are also of medicinal value. Dried Red Chilis - more than 18 varieties of chilis flavor Indian food with their pungency - from the hottest bhut jolakia to the deepest red of the kashmiri chili. Hand pounded in a brass pestle and mortar is the traditional way to evoke India in your cooking.

The photorealistic paintings in my Pitara series present the rich, earthy and warm tones of traditional India, capturing glimpses of its culture. The deep shadows and play of light on traditional materials draw inspiration from Flemish paintings and so does the multi-layered technique used to render these still life paintings. Through this series, I present Indian heritage through the lens of Flemish still life - a Western idiom vastly different from the art traditions of India. The language is Flemish and still life, the ideas and expressions Indian.

Materials used:

Oil on primed pintura fine grain canvas

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