New Abstract Painting: "Paranoia III – The wonderful life of a Bay Leaf"

The Bay Leaf has taken the most positive, responsible and substantial place amongst all the other kinds of leaves. When still on its laurel tree (Laurus Nobilis) one calls it the "bay laurel leaf". It is always green. It is even possible for a bay leaf to mutate and regenerate and to live for more than 100 years.

As a dried leaf, the Bay Leaf is used as a flavouring to spice up our meals. Polish bigos is impossible to imagine without bay leaves. Can someone imagine garam masala without bay leaves? No, full stop! The Bay leaf is toxic. Especially if someone decides to drink a brew of bay leaves, say more than 10 litre. That could be harmful. As a drink it isn't hideous, I tried it once and it's actually OK, somewhat bitter with a strong taste.

What is the essence of the Bay Leaf? Everyone hears about it, everyone tastes it in one or another dish. But recently the bay leaf has fallen into obscurity and it is no longer as important as it was in the past. A long time ago the laurel tree was a noble tree; it was a sacred tree of the ancient Greek God Apollo. In Chinese folklore there is a great laurel tree on the moon. It used to much more than a mere spice.

My holy Bay Leaf, today I adore you with this new painting. Especially for you, I made this painting, using the best quality acrylic paints and I even fixed your authentic "SELF" inside the painting. The painting is made up of two panels. On the central panel you can see two real bay leaves. The panel is 100 cm x 120 cm. The second panel is a small one with a print of my right hand. It's function is as an homage to the cave painters of the stone age.

"Paranoia III – The wonderful life of a Bay Leaf" – by Kasia B. Turajczyk; 2009