Artists collection

The third Battenberg painting in the Battenberg still life series. This time depicted on a neon pink background as opposed to grey. Furr had a corner of his studio set up in which to paint still lives and would change the background paper and its colour accordingly by painting the desired background colour himself. This pink background also occurs in the 'Geitost (Ode to Knut Hamsun) 2019' cheese painting. The pink background is in acrylic and the subject of the cake is painted in oil.

"I have always found Joe Orton -the playwright- a fascinating character. He was quite rebellious. With his partner Kenneth Halliwell he used to visually alter insipid book covers at Islington library for fun and put them back on the shelves. I liked this idea of turning the mundane on its head.

I read that Leonie Orton, Joe's sister published a book about her memories of Joe and this was a memory from the book... "And then there was the cake. Joe appeared from the kitchenette holding aloft a plate in the middle of which sat a battenberg. He was parading in front of us, holding the plate like an exhibit at an auction. Turning the plate around he began to elucidate on it's wonderful so magical qualities; the pink and yellowness of the sponge and the precision of the marzipan. They both agreed it was as perfect as a cake could be. To me it was just an ordinary factory produced Lyons Battenberg but they were discussing it like it was a work of art." I have since found out through my sister that Battenberg was my father’s favourite cake too.

To me a Battenberg is as valid a subject as Durer's grass in 'The Great Piece of Turf' To me this is 'The Great Piece of Cake' Maybe I am a singular connoisseur of ordinariness as I find beauty in the mundane and put it on a pedestal.

I also think pastel yellow and pink is a winning combination." - Christian Furr 2017

The third Battenberg painting in the Battenberg still life series. This time depicted on a neon pink background as opposed to grey. Furr had a corner of his studio set up in which to paint still lives and would change the background paper and its colour accordingly by painting the desired background colour himself. This pink background also occurs in the 'Geitost (Ode to Knut Hamsun) 2019' cheese painting

"I have always found Joe Orton -the playwright- a fascinating character. He was quite rebellious. With his partner Kenneth Halliwell he used to visually alter insipid book covers at Islington library for fun and put them back on the shelves. I liked this idea of turning the mundane on its head.

I read that Leonie Orton, Joe's sister published a book about her memories of Joe and this was a memory from the book... "And then there was the cake. Joe appeared from the kitchenette holding aloft a plate in the middle of which sat a battenberg. He was parading in front of us, holding the plate like an exhibit at an auction. Turning the plate around he began to elucidate on it's wonderful so magical qualities; the pink and yellowness of the sponge and the precision of the marzipan. They both agreed it was as perfect as a cake could be. To me it was just an ordinary factory produced Lyons Battenberg but they were discussing it like it was a work of art." I have since found out through my sister that Battenberg was my father’s favourite cake too.

To me a Battenberg is as valid a subject as Durer's grass in 'The Great Piece of Turf' To me this is 'The Great Piece of Cake' Maybe I am a singular connoisseur of ordinariness as I find beauty in the mundane and put it on a pedestal.

I also think pastel yellow and pink is a winning combination." - Christian Furr 2017