What may seem initially like a straightforward still life soon turns into a contemporary take on this historical genre. Aubergines, pomegranates, apples and chillies, often painted in isolation but on occasions purposefully grouped together, either way these works by Chris Kettle never fail to highlight the relationship that underpins such inanimate objects.

The characters of Kettle’s edible subjects become intensified or complimented by the motifs that sit alongside them. These stars, ‘halos’ and barcodes, together with titles as abrupt as ‘Apple’ to the wonderfully weird ‘wanna go to the beach?’ inject a sense of humour into the work.

Chris Kettle graduated…

What may seem initially like a straightforward still life soon turns into a contemporary take on this historical genre. Aubergines, pomegranates, apples and chillies, often painted in isolation but on occasions purposefully grouped together, either way these works by Chris Kettle never fail to highlight the relationship that underpins such inanimate objects.

The characters of Kettle’s edible subjects become intensified or complimented by the motifs that sit alongside them. These stars, ‘halos’ and barcodes, together with titles as abrupt as ‘Apple’ to the wonderfully weird ‘wanna go to the beach?’ inject a sense of humour into the work.

Chris Kettle graduated in 1994 with a BA (hons) Fine Art from Cardiff University. He has exhibited in both solo and group shows including those at the Royal Academy Hornsey Pumphouse gallery, London; Gallery Suty, Paris; and the Pepperton gallery, London where Kettle exhibited alongside the likes of Tracey Emin and Gavin Turk. Kettle lives and works in Brighton.