Harrods Kilim (61)

"Harrods Kilim (61)", oil on canvas, 24x24". For sale on Etsy.

This is me, with a slightly enlarged forehead, reading a book. The book is Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk, who is from Turkey. Behind me is a rug with a blend of various Turkish kilim patterns. My randomly selected topics were Harrods Green (color #61 in Naomi Kuno's Colorscape book) and Turkey (from my DK Family Encyclopedia). Harrods department store is mentioned in a chapter of Pamuk's novel.

I'm fascinated by the larger story behind the novel. There is a real museum in Istanbul connected to the book. In it are exhibits corresponding to more than 80 chapters of the book, except for Chapter 24, The Engagement Party, which is the one that mentions Harrods. I loved the concept, but the actual novel left me kind of cold, hence my blank expression in this portrait. I wasn't able to finish the book before I had to return it to the library. I had too many other things going on every day. The confused kilim pattern behind me represents this constant distracting activity.