Rich luminous hues and gorgeously exotic and rare botanical specimens epitomise John Pastoriza-Piñol’s work, however his are much more than mere flower paintings: closer inspection reveals a certain ambiguity of form and intent directing us towards a dark and complex narrative. The familiarity and pleasure we derive from looking at a depiction of a beautiful plant or flower is somewhat challenged, and the artist suggestively urges us to look beyond the aesthetic and move into slightly more uneasy territory. There are much deeper themes being explored here, along with a tradition that spans back through centuries.
The art of botanical illustration is highly specialised, where plant portraits combine finely observed detail with artistic expression. Traditionally, as a form of scientific representation fundamentally for the purpose of identifying and classifying plants, botanical illustration has the ability to
