A contemporary drawing composed of pencil, watercolor, marker pencil, and colored pencil titled "Red Chocolate" by Finnish artist Riiko Sakkinen. Created 25 February 2003 in Pepino, Spain. Rikko Saakinen grew up as a child of an activist mother engaged in civil rights and humanitarian causes, and he accompanied her to rallies all over the world. A deep sense of social and political consciousness remains active ingredients in the artist's work and lifestyle. Saakinen lives in several places over the year, Helsinki for the most part, but also Pepino in Space, Brussels, and London. Anyone who travels extensively knows that a nation's identity is marked as much by its cuisine as by its geography. That food is a favorite subject for this artist is not only vestige of his international upbringing but a natural reference point for his art. He often associates colors with food flavors as in the close-up of a candy bar in "Red Chocolate" which initially looks like and abstract grid painting (the "R" references his name Riiki). Sakkinen (1976- ) who received his MFA from the Helinski Academy of the Fine Arts in 2002, has work collected in the Finnish Institute, London, and the Helsinki City Art Museum. A group of his works will be included in a collection of drawings by young artists to be donated by the Judith Rothchild Foundation to the Museum of Modern Art, New York. From a private collection. Dimensions: 16"h x 12.75"w x 1"d (framed). In excellent condition.

16 x 12.75 x 1 in