Flesh of a Dead Nature

Critique of Consumerism and Surrealism 

The works employ surrealistic techniques by merging seemingly incompatible elements: fruit and meat, electricity and meat, plants and meat. These “uncanny” combinations evoke the surrealist assemblages of Meret Oppenheim or Max Ernst, which explored the subconscious and the absurdity of everyday life. In this context, surrealism is used as a tool to question industrial manipulation of nature and consumer goods. 

The banana, zucchini, or pineapple—symbols of freshness, naturalness, and health—are “contaminated” by the presence of meat. They raise questions about the authenticity of our food: how much nature remains in a world dominated by meat production? 

The Aesthetic of the Object

Meat, especially raw meat, possesses an uncanny aesthetic because it reminds us of death, decay, and destruction. By presenting meat in unusual contexts, these works heighten that sense of unease.

Visual arrangements—like an eggshell filled with minced meat or meat spilling out of an electrical outlet—create an atmosphere of absurdity and disgust. This emotional reaction is central, prompting viewers to reflect on their own relationship with meat.

Object Art and Critique of Consumer Culture

The works can be situated within the tradition of object art, as developed by artists like Claes Oldenburg and Joseph Beuys in the 1960s. This art form uses everyday objects to comment on societal issues. The meat-filled snow globe or the meat-filled teapot push the banality of consumerism to its absurd limits.

The minced meat in a pill blister pack or a champagne glass references the absurd overproduction and unreflective consumption of meat products. The message is clear: meat is treated as a commodity, with little regard for its origins or ethical implications.