Susan Brinkhurst

Still Lifes

The painter Georgio Morandi was fascinated by Natura Morta. As a recluse, he limited his choice of still life objects to bottles, boxes and vases that could be found in his domestic environment. The objects were painted using flat matt colours and any identifying features were eliminated so that the structure of the objects became the main focus. The objects were arranged and re-arranged to allow continual exploration of their abstract qualities and relationships.

When a collection of these Morandi paintings were featured at the Tate Modern, they were brought together from different galleries and museums. The variations of frames used were highlighted and they become as important visually as the still lifes themselves. This was the starting point for a series of work looking at framed compositions of everyday objects.

• Giorgio Morandi – Still Life

• Giorgio Morandi – Still Life