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InspirationArt & Culture

Contemporary paintings of everyday vintage objects from the 1950s, '60s and '70s

In her series Static, the much-loved American painter Jessica Brilli engages us with objects from another era: Kodak cameras, transistor radios, and manual typewriters.

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Vintage bedside clock radio from the 1960s with analogue clock face and radio dial, painted by Jessica Brilli

Painting in a style that combines American realism with Appropriation Art, she brings a contemporary eye to technologies from the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s. Before she begins a new work, she scours flea markets and antique shops, looking for everyday objects that excite her imagination. “I’ve experimented with various subjects,” she says, “but I always enjoy evoking the beauty in everyday scenes and objects.”

Based in Quincy, Massachusetts, Brilli earned her BFA in painting at the University of Rhode Island, where she studied with acclaimed artists Robert Dilworth, William Klenk, and Barbara Pagh. She has exhibited internationally and some of her artworks are on display at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University where she works as senior graphic designer. Discover more of her stunning work at www.jbrilli.com.

Mustard-yellow vintage transistor radio with circular brown dials and a bright green clock face, painted against a soft green background
Vintage Agfa Isolette camera and red Agfa Color CNS film box painted against a white background with blue accents
Turquoise vintage Kodak camera with black viewfinder and red decorative details on yellow background
Vintage Brownie movie camera with tan and brown body and black lens against a yellow background, painted in contemporary realist style
Turquoise rotary telephone with handset, painted in contemporary realism style by Jessica Brilli
Vintage green manual typewriter with black keys and yellow ribbon against a white background, painted by Jessica Brilli
Red and yellow vintage transistor radio with a speaker and tuning dial, painted against a white background
Vintage yellow and brown television with rounded screen displaying abstract pink and blue shapes, positioned against a pale yellow background
Colourful abstract painting with organic flowing shapes in turquoise, purple, pink and mustard tones alongside geometric circular forms on the right side
A painting of a vintage Polaroid instant camera in beige and brown tones with a blue and yellow film pack on top, cast against a light background
A cream and black rotary telephone with a coiled handset cord against a grey-blue background, painted by Jessica Brilli
Jessica Brilli's painting of a vinyl record with a bright green centre label on a white background with black tape across the top
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