Il Motivo Sortico del Carciofo
Once you fall in love with the layers and complexity of the Artichoke you begin to notice them intertwined everywhere.
Having always been intrigued by print and pattern, I notice how often these esteemed vegetables where portrayed in artistic design over the years, particularly in the Art and Craft movement.
To pay homage to all things Artichoke I took reference from design greats such as Charles Voysey in the 1880’s to Timorous Beasties in the 1990’s.
With the help of my Italian family I converted Nonna Genia's Piedmontese cookbook into illustrated snip-its of mock design history.
Aging the loose leaf pages beyond its years with stain, then using delicate white-ink patterns to expand upon the natural repetition I hoped to give you the scene of reverie, as if looking at a historical museum document, that this majestic plant deserves.
These drawings were made to be enjoyed specifically for Caffe Mingo in the height of Artichoke season, a time when summer is at its brightest, overflowing with lush bounty.
