Billy Vanilli
Visual artist Billy Vanilli creates ultra-realistic paintings that are a sensual, almost erotic interplay between food and figurative elements.
Words: Holly Terry | Photography: PJ Pantelis
Semi Precious by Billy Vanilli. Photo: PJ Pantelis
‘On the theme of food I’ve been exploring the past couple of years; a big part of that comes from my relationship with my partner, Simone. Safe to say food and eating with friends is a big part of our lives and is always a topic of conversation,’ says Billy Vanilli. Photo: PJ Pantelis
‘You have a personal thought or emotion, so you write it down [in a journal]. But instead of just having it written down I was interested in expanding and exploring that feeling, or thought, through symbolism.’ Photo: PJ Pantelis
‘The whole series just comes from an interest around food being the most potent of symbols. It’s one of the great necessities we all need but is surrounded by rituals, trends, symbolism and obsessions.’ Photo: PJ Pantelis
Naarm-based painter Billy Vanilli’s surreal still life paintings are anything other than two dimensional. The self-taught painter has an expert ability to mesh food and figurative elements in an almost erotic way, forcing the eye (and mind) to ponder.
In his younger years, Billy recalls creative memories around the age of six or seven, when he would tie sticks and scraps together, forming ‘inventions’. Although not painting at the time, he fondly describes the way creating was always in the periphery, the smells, the materials and the influence of growing up with his mum who painted regularly.
For Billy, to begin painting was a decision he made after a diagnosis of a degenerative disease and experiencing the emotional and physical impact of that. ‘When I started painting, I discovered a creative outlet where I had complete autonomy. It’s scary, but really addictive to be able to play and experiment without too much direct outside influence in your ear,’ he says.
Though Billy’s use of traditional still life techniques whisper hints of formal training, the artist’s highly evocative paintings are born from a natural skill set that is for the most part, self-taught. Believe it or not, Billy’s works are first informed from his imagination - his ultra-creative mind pieces together feelings, ideas or certain words.
Often times, he will then rope his partner or friend into playing the muse and utilising photos as references for his work. Delicately dancing between modalities of creation, the artist sometimes works on a particular section, or approaches it all in one go.
Exploring the relationship between food and figurative elements for the past few years, Billy’s paintings are distinctively sensual, embodying sensory overloaded scenes, such as a ripe fig cupped gently in a manicured hand, dripping in honey.
Billy Vanilli at work in his studio in Naarm (Melbourne). Photo: PJ Pantelis
Detail of Semi Precious by Billy Vanilli. Photo: PJ Pantelis
“I’m just proud to be doing it and continuing to challenge myself. Art-making can be pretty scary and there can be quite a bit of self doubt. However, when you create something you’re really proud of its intensely rewarding and fulfilling.”
‘When I started painting, I discovered a creative outlet where I had complete autonomy. It’s scary, but really addictive to be able to play and experiment without too much direct outside influence in your ear.’ Photo: PJ Pantelis
Affogato al Freddo by Billy Vanilli. Photo: PJ Pantelis
Exploring themes such as desire, consumption, nostalgia and intimacy, Billy is interested in the evocation of emotion and memory brought forward by food. ‘Basically, [food] explores and celebrates my thoughts on the subject; how it can be a medium to express relationships, evoke lust and nostalgia, a proof of prestige or simply a means to cope,’ he says.
Describing the way commercially presented food can often be sensual and erotic, he shares, ‘I wanted to explore all those ideas but at the time I was painting still life and I felt it was missing a certain personal touch or human intervention, which is crucial to the food making processes.’
Interwoven throughout, the figurative elements such as a tightly cropped belly or elongated fingers are also a central motif in Billy’s work, and are technically sound enough to be mistaken for photography.
For Billy, keeping these components relatively anonymous and tightly cropped is an important element within his work; ‘I find this is where the greater narrative really forms - beyond the frame of the canvas. It allows room for the viewer to come to their own interpretation or conclusions. I love that.’
Fast forward to the present day, Billy is a rapidly growing name amongst the Australian art scene and, impressively, was involved in eight (yes, eight!) exhibitions over the course of the past year. And he is not stopping there. Billy’s latest show, titled Buffet, opens at Oigall Projects, in Fitzroy on October 20th.