Temptation – Beyond the Apple

Temptation 2025 Luisa Manea

When we think of 'temptation', we often picture a single moment — the gleam of an apple in the Garden of Eden, the flicker of a thought that says 'just this once'. But the truth is, temptation is rarely a one-time event. It’s a slow spiral, a whisper that becomes a chorus, pulling us deeper into the chase for something we’ve been told we need.

My painting 'Temptation' is an exploration of that pull — particularly the beauty myth and the relentless pursuit of youth. The apple in this work is more than fruit; it is a symbol of the invitation into a cycle that never ends. Once you bite, the rules shift: a young face requires a young neck, then youthful hands, and the chase goes on.

This is not just paint on canvas. The work blends ceramic sculpture, acrylic paint, and hand-stitching, creating a tactile, layered surface. The ceramic forms — some delicate, some unsettling — are stitched into the painting like the seams of cosmetic alteration, a deliberate echo of the marks left by surgical intervention. This is a technique I’ve not seen used before, and it allows the work to straddle the worlds of painting, sculpture, and textile art.

The figure’s gaze is direct, almost confronting. A serpent coils at the throat, a nod to both danger and seduction. Butterflies and fruit float in a dreamlike space, part Eden, part high-fashion surrealism. At the very top, a crown of ceramic fruit spills over the edge of the frame, as if temptation itself can’t be contained within the borders of the work.

'Temptation' carries a dual message. For women, it’s an invitation to step away from the exhausting cycle of “fixing” what was never broken. For men, it’s a reminder to recognise beauty in its truest form — in grace, confidence, and lived experience.

This piece is not a moral lecture but a mirror. It asks the viewer: 'What do you chase? And when will you decide you are already enough?

A surreal portrait intertwines nature and symbolism, depicting a serene figure adorned with a snake necklace. Elements of flora, such as ripe fruits, blend into the pink and clouded backdrop, while butterflies delicately rest on the hand, creating an ethereal atmosphere.

Temptation

Buy Now