New Potatoes 2015

Elina Brotherus created this still life titled ‘New Potatoes.’ The bowl, brimming with small potatoes, evokes a sense of rustic simplicity. Yet, within this seemingly mundane scene, potent symbols simmer. The potato itself, once a humble staple, carries layers of historical weight, linked to survival and sustenance, yet tainted by famine and hardship. One can find a similar visual weight and emotional undercurrent in Van Gogh’s ‘The Potato Eaters’. And here, the single red potato disrupts the monochrome uniformity, drawing our eye. Like a singular figure amidst a crowd, it represents the individual and perhaps the artist herself, in the vast landscape of existence. This simple, yet profound composition engages with our collective memory, stirring a complex web of emotions and associations tied to the earth, sustenance, and our place within the natural world. The image, like the potato itself, carries a cyclical narrative, forever resurfacing in our consciousness, evolving, and sprouting new meanings across time.