Reverse Still Life

A plan to reconsider fruit

Reverse Still Life is an ongoing series of sculptural and photographic works which explore the manipulation, degradation and presentation of still life objects. This series centres around a process of surgically removing the skin or outer layer of fruit, vegetables, flowers, bread and other organic/food materials commonly found in still life paintings, turning it inside out, and re-encasing the subject in its flipped skin using an embroidery stitch

PHOTOGRAPHS

The first iteration of Reverse Still Life was presented as a photographic series, supported by Chunky Move and the Tanja Liedtke Foundation through the Solitude residency- aimed at interdisciplinary choreographic artists continuing to develop practice through the 2020/21 Coronavirus lockdowns in Melbourne.

SCULPTURES

Reverse Still Life was presented as a time-based sculptural work at Liverpool Powerhouse in 2025. Two identical still life arrangements were presented next to one another- one made of clay and chemically treated organic material, one made of untreated organic material. Throughout the duration of the month-long exhibition the organic arrangement rotted, oozed, sagged and bloomed with rot and mould, in violent contrast to its ceramicised twin, which remained unchanged save for the film of mould accrued from its partner.

Day 1: