Artist Turns Celebrity Fad Diets Into Old Master-Style Still Lifes

Dan Bannino, Lord Byron, "Romantic poet's diet", potatoes in vinegar and soda water. Photo: courtesy the artist.

Photographer Dan Bannino has turned fad diets into art in his series “Still Diet.” His beautifully shot still lifes, done in the style of Old Master paintings, feature bizarre celebrity diets from the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, Charles Saatchi, Beyoncé Knowles, and Henry VIII.

According to Bannino, the photos are meant to reveal the unexpected beauty that can be found in highly constricted, deprivation-based diets. “I wanted to make them significant, like classic works of arts that are becoming more and more weighty as they grow older. My aim was to show how this weirdness hasn’t changed even since the 15th century.”

Dan Bannino, Beyoncé Knowles "Master cleanse diet", lemon Juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, salt, and laxative herbal tea (hence the toilet paper). Photo: courtesy the artist.

Dan Bannino, Beyoncé Knowles “Master cleanse diet,” lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, salt, and laxative herbal tea (hence the toilet paper).
Photo: courtesy the artist.

Dan Bannino, <em>Luigi Cornaro, "Sober Life"</em>, fifteenth-century Venetian nobleman, 400ml of solid food or eggs and 500ml wine. Photo: courtesy the artist.

Dan Bannino, Luigi Cornaro, “Sober Life,” fifteenth-century Venetian nobleman, 400ml of solid food or eggs and 500ml wine.
Photo: courtesy the artist.

Dan Bannino, <em>Bill Clinton, "Cabbage diet"</em>, cabbage soup, mixed with other vegetables. Photo: courtesy the artist.

Dan Bannino, Bill Clinton, “Cabbage diet,” cabbage soup, mixed with other vegetables.
Photo: courtesy the artist.

Dan Bannino, <em>Lord Byron, "Romantic poet's diet"</em>, potatoes in vinegar and soda water. Photo: courtesy the artist.

Dan Bannino, Lord Byron, “Romantic poet’s diet,” potatoes in vinegar and soda water.
Photo: courtesy the artist.

Dan Bannino, <em>Gwyneth Paltrow, "Strict detox diet"</em>, carrots, broccoli, onions, chickpeas, patè made with nuts and lentils, and room temperature water with lemon and/or green tea. Photo: courtesy the artist.

Dan Bannino, Gwyneth Paltrow, “Strict detox diet,” carrots, broccoli, onions, chickpeas, patè made with nuts and lentils, and room temperature water with lemon and/or green tea.
Photo: courtesy the artist.

Dan Bannino, <em>Henry VII, "The banquet diet"</em>, Pork, chicken, rabbit, lamb, fruits, and wine. Photo: courtesy the artist.

Dan Bannino, Henry VII, “The banquet diet,” Pork, chicken, rabbit, lamb, fruits, and wine.
Photo: courtesy the artist.

Dan Bannino, <em>Charles Saatchi, "The egg diet"</em>, nine eggs prepared in multiple ways and a glass of wine (presumably he doesn't dine on Damien Hirst shark). Photo: courtesy the artist.

Dan Bannino, Charles Saatchi, “The egg diet,” nine eggs prepared in multiple ways and a glass of wine (presumably he doesn’t dine on Damien Hirst shark).
Photo: courtesy the artist.

Dan Bannino, <em>Simon Cowell, "Life enhancing"</em>, airfreight-shipped box full of pineapples, strawberries, grapes, cranberries, blueberries, oranges, mangos, and avocados, made into smoothies, plus a tank of milk for bathing in, and vitamins. Photo: courtesy the artist.

Dan Bannino, Simon Cowell, “Life enhancing,” airfreight-shipped box full of pineapples, strawberries, grapes, cranberries, blueberries, oranges, mangos, and avocados, made into smoothies, plus a tank of milk for bathing in, and vitamins.
Photo: courtesy the artist.

Dan Bannino, <em>Kate Moss, "Hollywood Diet"</em>, martini and cigarettes. Photo: courtesy the artist.

Dan Bannino, Kate Moss, “Hollywood Diet,” martini and cigarettes.
Photo: courtesy the artist.

(h/t Huffington Post.)


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