The artist and designer based in Portugal, Veronika Kulish, wanted to pay tribute to the ‘Portuguese Sardines’, which as she says, are legendary and a very typical product of this beautiful country. And he has done it in the best way he knows how, the illustrations, the presentation, the concept… it is undoubtedly a delight to share.
Sardines are an integral part of Portuguese life and although few have stopped to think about it, marketing has elevated this simple and unpretentious product to cult status. In any major city in Portugal we can find stores dedicated exclusively to canned sardines.
The Portuguese love for their sardines comes with a rich history. That is why the ‘ART apetito’ collection of Portuguese sardines captures not only the history of the fishing industry, but also gives its place to the memory and essence of the local attractions of the Portuguese country.
Few people know that the first artistic sardines date back to the 19th century and came from the hand of Rapahel Bordalo Pinheiro (1846-1905), but it was not until 2003, when the sardine contest of Lisbon’s festivities was created, that they began to become popular until they became an icon of Lisbon’s culture and gastronomy.
It is therefore not surprising that thousands of proposals compete every year in this peculiar contest that rewards imagination, originality and audacity when it comes to drawing or canning a sardine, with the only condition that it is recognizable and not to be confused with another fish.
There are sardines decorated by artists such as Bordalo or Joana Vasconcellos; there are also those in homage to fado figures such as Amalia Rodriguez; with pop-art motifs, comics and even gastronomic inspiration, such as those that evoke another popular dish, caldo verde con chorizo (green broth with sausage).
The Bordalo collection includes more than 60 designs that are periodically updated, and can be purchased online at prices ranging from 20 to 50 euros, a temptation for any collector who appreciates this culinary art that remains timeless and adapts to the new times. A simple can made art.
