Interpretation willi Baumeister - Mortaruru with Red Overhead

Willi Baumeister - Mortaruru with Red Overhead

1953

Oil on board

100cm x 81cm

Private collection

Rosa Paardenkooper - Tasty
Interpretation of Willi Baumeisters' Mortaruru with Red Overhead
2014
Fruits and vegetables and pen on paper
720x960
Istanbul

Process

The assignment was to recreate an art work with fruits and vegetables, I decided to recreate the painting by Baumeister. I first cut the eggplant in the right shape, and placed the tomato above it. I then continued to cut the pepper and eggplant pieces so that they could represent the smaller parts in the work. I added the decoration at the bottom of the paper with pen, and finally I colored one piece of eggplant blueish so that it would match the piece in the top right. 

Explanation:

This was the assignment so there is not much I can say here. However, my choice for the art work by Baumeister was based on the fact that, first of all it is easier to recreate these shapes with vegetables, then for example a more figurative piece. I also felt that the piece resembled something organic in a way, based on its shapes and most of its colors. Finally I thought that the explanation in the art book was very interesting: "their [the shapes] relationship to each other - both formalistically and and colouristically - is unclear, creating a disjointed feeling of tension and uneasiness" (Phaidon 1996). I disagree with this statement and actually thought that the forms were all interacting with one another, I tried to emphasize this interpretation by choosing fruits and vegetables that go well together in terms of their taste, so as to make them more connected. Finally, I thought it would be more of a challenge to choose a piece that is not originally made up of food.