SICULA
Commercial illustrations created for Sicula Bar. Click the thumbnail to go to the specific section.
The two portraits — Moorish Heads — were commissioned to be printed on T-shirts to be sold by the bar as merchandise.
The illustration depicting Mount Etna and the chariot wheel was commissioned to be printed on the black apron that serves as the bar crew’s uniform. Sicily is a land with a multilayered culture, lore rich in symbolism, and a deep connection to nature and landscape. It was a pleasure to explore it and create these illustrations!
TESTA DI MORO - MOORISH HEAD
The Moorish heads are a typical symbol of Sicily, usually visible in the form of ceramic plant vases. Their origin story is a little gruesome, but they are generally viewed as symbols of abundance and fertility. For the headpiece I had a lot of references to choose from. I discussed the various fruits with the client: grapes, pomegranates, orange blossoms, lemons, prickly pears, and basil— the plant tied to the origin story. All of these are products of the land in Sicily and connected to the identity of the Sicilians as well as to the goods sold in the Bar - Restaurant.
TESTA DI MORA - MOORISH HEAD
The Moorish heads are a typical symbol of Sicily, usually visible in the form of ceramic plant vases. Their origin story is a little gruesome, but they are generally viewed as symbols of abundance and fertility. For the headpiece I had a lot of references to choose from. I discussed the various fruits with the client: grapes, pomegranates, orange blossoms, lemons, prickly pears, and basil— the plant tied to the origin story. All of these are products of the land in Sicily and connected to the identity of the Sicilians as well as to the goods sold in the Bar - Restaurant.
ALL YOU NEED IS SICULA - UNIFORM
The client wanted an illustration to be printed on the uniform/apron. He insisted on featuring Mamma Etna, the volcano that sits just outside the city of Catania, as the main subject. At the time, they had just installed a Sicilian chariot in the bar, and we thought it would be nice to include one of its wheels as well. The carretto is a cultural emblem representing Sicilian artistry, resilience, and identity; it reflects the island’s diverse cultural influences. I decided to place it in the sky, as a wheel of time. In the decorations, I added many of the symbols found in the bar.