Sunflowers 1989

John Bratby made this painting, Sunflowers, with oil. Bratby emerged during a period of austerity in postwar Britain, and he became known for his 'kitchen sink realism'. In this work, thick impasto evokes a sense of the everyday, with the ordinary subject matter elevating the mundane to a place worthy of artistic exploration. Bratby’s sunflowers are not presented as symbols of idealized beauty, but rather as robust, almost unruly entities. The assertive brushstrokes and bold color palette challenge traditional representations of floral still life. Bratby was interested in how the personal and domestic spheres were impacted by broader social changes. He once said, “I like to paint things around me. I paint domestic things.” The visceral, tactile quality of the paint brings a sense of immediacy and authenticity to the work. The painting acts as a mirror to the intimate details of life, reflecting the artist’s environment.