Kelvin likes to explore alternative materials for painting. Using coffee as the medium gave him a limited palette and enhanced his thought process, engaging the viewer with an additional sensory experience – the faculty of smell.
A good artwork is able to generate questions and evoke emotions.
Climate change is crippling coffee production globally, impacting the quality and quantity of coffee beans. Coffee prices have skyrocketed since the last decade. Yet a good 90% of the adult population is addicted to caffeine and some are willing to pay $50 for a cup of Black Ivory Coffee. It would not be long before coffee could become a luxury.
How much are you willing to pay for a cup of coffee in the past, present, and in the future? What if it is the last cup in the world?
Kelvin painted the last cup of coffee, using coffee itself. The surface of the coffee reflects images of coffee beans to represent its past abundance whilst the stains hint at the uncertainty of the coffee industry. If coffee becomes scarce and exorbitantly priced one day, this painting will live long to represent its greatness and aroma.
By Ting Jian Hong Kelvin
To see Kelvin’s final piece, come down to the SOTA Art Gallery from 4 March to 13 March 2020.
Want to see more artworks under the Decode subtheme? Click here for more.
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