Naturally Synthetic

Acrylic.

18x24"

Under a surreal clash of intense yellow highlights and deep purple shadows, Naturally Synthetic presents a haunting still life: a glistening perfume bottle, a toner container, a bright green lime—and a very old apple, darkened and shriveled with time.

The decaying apple, with its wrinkled skin and muted tones of brown, crimson, and deep maroon, stands in stark contrast to the artificial perfection of the beauty products beside it. The lime, still vibrant, offers a deceptive balance—echoing the freshness promised on ingredient labels. Yet the spotlight falls, unnaturally sharp, drawing attention to the tension between vitality and decay, truth and illusion.

Set in a surreal, shadow-soaked space, the painting interrogates the fantasy of “natural beauty.” What do we discard, hide, or chemically enhance to maintain the illusion of purity? The old apple—unretouched, unidealized—becomes a quiet protest against perfection.

This piece doesn’t just question what is natural—it asks what we’re willing to call beauty, and at what cost.