Kitchen setting, 13–26.6.20 

Alex Vivian (b. 1981) presents a delicious suite of rich Cobalt blue oil paintings depicting a pecking order of domestically charged lubricant options. One must always begin with the most decadent to aid any situation in need and—naturally—work their way down a chain of goop primarily composed of scraps and by-product from insides for insides, out for out. Margarine is never the final option if butter be readily available. Common plate grease will never suffice when there is Duck fat, Lard, Dripping, etc.

Is this… Assistance? (Option 1):

Blue Aid (Butter.), 2020, 1200 x 900mm

Blue Aid (Margarine.), 2020, 1200 x 900mm

Blue Aid (Table Spread.), 2020, 1200 x 900mm

Is this… Assistance? (Option 2):

Blue Aid (Duck fat.), 2020, 1200 x 900mm

Blue Aid (Lard.), 2020, 1200 x 900mm

Blue Aid (Dripping.), 2020, 1200 x 900mm

Blue Aid (Plate grease.), 2020, 1200 x 900mm

Kitchen setting: upon entrance.

Kitchen setting: view from furtherest end of room.

Blue Aid (Butter.), 2020, 1200 x 900mm, oil on canvas & panel

Detail of Blue Aid (Butter.), 2020

Blue Aid (Margarine.), 2020, 1200 x 900mm, oil on canvas & panel

Middle ranking supporting that of lower ranking: Portrait of Blue Aid (Margarine.), Blue Aid (Table spread.)

Blue Aid (Table Spread.), 2020, 1200 x 900mm, oil on canvas & panel

Detail of Blue Aid (Table Spread.), 2020

Blue Aid (Duck fat.), 2020, 1200 x 900mm, oil on canvas & panel

Detail of Blue Aid (Duck fat.), 2020

Blue Aid (Lard.), 2020, 1200 x 900mm, oil on canvas & panel

Blue Aid (Dripping.), 2020, 1200 x 900mm, oil on canvas & panel

Blue Aid (Plate grease.), 2020, 1200 x 900mm, oil on canvas & panel

Detail of Blue Aid (Plate grease.) far end right corner, 2020

Kitchen setting option 2: a gradient of lubricants are on display.

Kitchen setting option 1: is there an obvious division between these two groups? Does the rich unpasteurised tapestry of option 2 cancel out the first - or are they two completely seperate entities?

Juices and liquids are derived from the wild roasting of a beast, pig, animal, etc. Meat is devoured and parts carefully saved. There are instances when an animal is even discarded in advance to charring point — binned before consumption — only to serve purpose as a vessel for what it can excrete. Is this a barbaric act, or is it purely decadent?

The kitchen setting stands as the most ripe setting for options. Either active or dormant, a constant source of relief is always at hand. Some visible in a more obvious manner: shortenings or spreads in plastic and foil based packaging stacked in fridge… Others in corners of ovens, depths of used dishes, scrapings on used napkins. The less unpasteurised, the higher their demand.

These insides, leftovers and pre produced remnants are used in an effort to aid entry, exit and general social flow. Is this… Assistance?

June 2020