Fluer De Feu Illumination

2020

​

‘Fleur de Feu’ are hand-painted lighters featuring the works of Jan Davidz De Heem and Rachel Ruysch, still life painters from the Dutch Golden Age. My concept was to create custom lighters that function as portable art pieces that re-evaluate the subjective concept of what constitutes ‘high art’. The juxtaposition of revered Dutch master tulips painted on disposable lighters from a petrol station, highlight the transient notion of ‘valued art’.

Ironically, 17th century still lifes were considered a low form of art in comparison to religious or historical paintings. I wonder how contemporary art will be valued in the years to come?

At the time, these paintings were commissioned to showcase the patron’s immense wealth or advertise a trade. This commercial element continues in the branding identity created for these lighters, featuring an ecommerce site and custom packaging to ensure a luxurious purchasing experience. The rich blacks and crimsons are pulled from the paintings themselves and imbue the designs with a sense of opulence.