Marina Jijina

Shortlisted

"The Universal Drink"
Oil on canvas
51cm x 76cm

The painting is inspired by a famous quote by Immanuel Kant, the German philosopher. According one of the Kant’s contemporaries, Kant loved coffee, which in the 18th century Europe was a rare and luxurious drink, served as a special treat after the meal at dinner parties. It took a special skill to prepare it, and Kant would often get impatient while waiting for coffee to be served, exclaiming ‘Coffee! Coffee’. I think this story reveals a curious side in the character of one of the most influential thinkers of all times, who believed in shared and universal values of the human mind.