Caution: Flammable! 1993

Glennray Tutor created this highly detailed still life painting of fireworks with oil. The composition is dominated by the close-up view of various firework packages, each rendered with precise detail and vibrant colors. The effect is an almost overwhelming sensory experience, reminiscent of pop art's fascination with consumer goods. Here, Tutor employs hyperrealism to not only represent these objects but also to explore the underlying cultural and structural codes they represent. The bright colors, sharp lines, and detailed labels function almost as semiotic markers, signaling themes of danger and excitement. This contrasts with the mundane reality of consumer products. The extreme close-up removes the fireworks from their intended context, thereby destabilizing their traditional meanings. They transform into abstract forms that challenge our understanding of representation itself. The formal arrangement—with the seemingly random scattering of fireworks—belies a deliberate composition. It invites contemplation of the complex relationship between consumer culture, representation, and the destabilization of fixed meanings in contemporary society.