Sweet! was a 12’x 6’ space, the walls of which were covered in pink frosting. It was exhibited in conjunction with the first ArtPrize event in Grand Rapids, at the 45 Ottawa Avenue Building.
The piece is a statement about addiction and recovery, as well as a commentary of the some grand heroic traditions of Modernism–notably Abstract Expressionism and the works by Joseph Beuys that incorporated fat.
I anticipated that the viewers’ response to the work would be that of simultaneous attraction and mild repulsion. The color and fragrance recall the cheerful experiences associated with icing and cake, however the surface and unconventional context frustrate the viewer who wants to see, smell, and touch the frosting.