"Doughnuts in Basket" by Olga Rybalko
This piece draws inspiration from Salvador Dalí's iconic "Basket of Bread." Dalí's original work, celebrated for its stark simplicity and its focus on the humble staple of bread, has always intrigued me. He had a unique fascination with bread and once remarked that it was a consistent motif in his art.Dalí completed this painting at the end of World War II, and he connected it thematically to the downfall of Hitler, giving it the subtitle "Rather Death than Shame." In the painting, he symbolically expressed what he called the "moral hunger" of the modern age, with a loaf of bread representing culture's meager offerings in challenging times.Given the current Russia-Ukraine conflict, which draws parallels to World War II in terms of propaganda and oppressive leadership, Dalí's painting has taken on a new relevance for me, especially as someone of Ukrainian descent.In my reinterpretation of Dalí's work, I replaced the bread with doughnuts, symbolizing the stark contrast between the seriousness of war and the ordinary joys of everyday life. It's a reflection of the stark difference between plain sustenance and simple pleasures in our modern world.
Oil on canvas
Size: 24"W x 24"H
Year: 2023
Artist: Olga Rybalko
*Prince includes Framing