Raimo Tuomivaara:
Stilleben

Still life, stilleben, means “silent paintings.” In a traditional still life, various objects are arranged as a model on a table or some other surface. The objects might be dishes, fruits, vegetables, game birds hanging, or almost anything. They are in a motionless state, still, dead. As the name suggests, the subject of the painting is silence, and the objects are merely tools for realizing an idea. 

I have added living creatures to some of my works as well. A cat watches a bird through the window; a crow marvels at a yellow rubber duck. Nothing moves. Time has stopped. The paintings are realistic. I have tried to capture a moment through the means of painting. Of course, a camera would be more convenient, but a camera cannot paint. A digital photo is only an electronic illusion of reality. The painter’s palette allows for play with colors, light, and moods. Layers of paint create a living texture. 

Stilleben is a statement about our busy, hectic lives. It is worth stopping and looking — has something gone wrong as life becomes increasingly stressful? Who guides us, who takes advantage of us? Why do we need constant growth if it only makes us unhappy — if it leads to the loss of nature and a climate catastrophe? Stilleben is passive resistance. 

It is time that has stopped.