Seductions of the Senses

The sensual and allusive and pensive artistry of New York-based photographer Paulette Tavormina honors and exults the fruits and flowers of everyday life. Gaze, and be captured.

Paulette’s inspiration: The formality, poetry, and lavish inner life of sixteenth- and seventeenth- century Dutch still life paintings of the great Old Masters. Life, death, beauty, rapture, it’s all there.

With their sense of the fullness of seasons, and time passing, both the canvases that inspire her and her photography burst with life and flavor and heavenly sensuality. 

Paulette finds the most luscious rare and ripe fruits at Manhattan greenmarkets and shapes them into divine decadence of sexy and suggestive erotica of the most elegant kind.

Come and be surprised. I am confident that you will be turned on by their beauty.

Come and Meet Paulette Tavormina: Ponder Her Rare Creativity 

Paulette Tavormina lives and works in New York City where she stalks the city’s many farmers markets searching for the perfectly imperfect flora that characterize her photographs. 

Paulette’s highly detailed and luscious arrangements recall the sumptuous detail of seventeenth century Old Master still life painters, She highlights the fruit, leaves, rare weeds and flowers as well as oysters (a favorite Dutch detail) and lemons peels, in her the lavish table settings.

“Growing up in a Sicilian family, food was the central focus of our gatherings. The lively conversations, preparation, and creation of every feast were as important as the celebration of sitting down together and breaking bread. The legacy of these culinary traditions is emblematic of my life and textures my work.” – Paulette Tavormina 

But look at how she love a little decay…the wilted leaves, the faded flowers, the juicy peaches and plums with bugs and creatures creeping and crawling.

With a painterly perspective reminiscent of Francisco de Zurbaran, Adriaen Coorte and Giovanna Garzoni, Tavormina creates worldly still lifes. 

Tavormina’s photographs are in museum, corporate and private collections and have been exhibited in Paris, London, Moscow, Lugano, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Boston and Chicago.

Tavormina, who is largely self-taught, currently photographs works of art for Sotheby’s and works as a commercial photographer. Her latest project, The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook for the Fabulous Beekman Boys, was a critical success and she is currently photographing the Beekman Boys heirloom dessert cookbook. Previously, Tavormina was a prop and food stylist in Hollywood, her work seen on the screen in films such as Nixon and The Perfect Storm.

“In the 1990s, when I was living in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a close friend introduced me to seventeenth century still life painters, including Giovanna Garzoni and Maria Sibylla Merian. Around the same time, my work as a commercial photographer was beginning to develop. The sensuality of the Old Masters and the technicality of photography appeals to me; in my photographs, I am directly inspired by classic natura morta imagery and the abundance of perfectly imperfect flowers, fruits, and vegetables that I find in the markets.”— Paulette Tavormina 

Where to Find Paulette's Work

All of Paulette’s photography is available through MARCH in San Francisco, which shows her work and represents Paulette superbly in California. 

See the previous feature on MARCH on The Style Saloniste by clicking here.

Paulette's work can also be seen at:

Chris Beetles Fine Photographs
Fragile: Photographing Nature, Beauty and Memories 
3-5 Swallow Street
London, England 
Opens: June 10, 2013 

Pobeda Gallery
Red Square

Moscow, Russia 
Natura Morta: Solo Show 
Opens: November 2013 


Publications:

Natura Morta, a new photography book by Paulette Tavormina 

A new full-color book featuring Tavormina's photography has been published and has an essay "The Many Lives of Paulette Tavormina's Still Lifes" by art historian, Wayne Andersen. The 40-page book measures 12" x 12" and contains 26 of her fine art images. This book is a limited, signed edition of 200 and can be purchased at the Robert Mann Gallery and the Robert Klein Gallery. 

PAULETTE TAVORMINA PHOTOGRAPHY:

All images here are by Paulette Tavormina, and used with specific permission. Thank you, Paulette. 

www.paulettetavormina.com