DOWN TO THE KERNEL FINAL 1
DOWN TO THE KERNEL FINAL 2
DOWN TO THE KERNEL FINAL 3
Down to the Kernel Collection
About |
Medium: Sharpie, acrylic, and coffee on Bristol board
Inspiration
Throughout my time in Peru, I was inspired by the cuisine and exotic produce. Served at almost every restaurant was corn, either served as a roasted appetizer (cancha) or chicha morada (a purple drink made from purple maĆz). I merely became inspired by the texture of corn, using the classic kernel pattern in each piece of the collection.
The Process
To fully embrace creating art inspired by culture, I used local products throughout the entirety of this collection. This process was rejuvenating for me, as I’d previously felt confused about how to tie my travels into my art. Once I realized I merely had to look around, using the local materials, I became excited again. Fully embracing the role of “weird gringo,” I walked around Barranco, Lima, gathering plants to use in my art.
Using Local Materials
As the materials I had with me in Lima were limited, I had to make do with what was around me. Using the plants I collected on my walks, I created stamps! Through some very messy trial and error, I was able to create the patterns for each piece. I used this leaf on the right, as well as orange peels and other plant stems. I also used Peruvian coffee, leftover from my morning cup, to create the pattern of the third piece.
Pushing the Concept of Abstraction
This collection was my own attempt at pushing my creativity and abilities to abstract an object. The collection is a gradual symbol of this, beginning from the most accurate representation of corn to more abstract.
Down to the Kernel 1
The most literal of the three, the first piece depicts real shapes and forms of the corn. I depicted both the large cancha kernels and a typical corn-on-the-cob pattern.
Down to the Kernel 2
To continue the gradual progression of abstraction, the second piece also contains the typical corn pattern. However, there are no literal depictions of the kernels.
Down to the Kernel 3
The final piece began with me pouring my cup of coffee on the page, letting the droplets determine the pattern. I drew very large, simplistic versions of the cancha (depicted with the teardrop-looking shapes). I continued the use of the kernel pattern, though this time in black and white to be less literal. From a distance, the third piece looks like merely an abstract collection of colors and patterns. Up close, the corn motif is more obvious.
I named this collection “Down to the Kernel” to represent diving deeper into the literal object of corn, from the outside pattern to the simple shape of one kernel.