M.J. Rose

Ah! These make for a most fantastic guessing game!

From which book does this meal hail? (Clue in the caption)–

From ‘Fictitious Feasts’, work about food scenes in literature. Here the memory of the avocado crabmeat salad, with the bell jar, symbol of death and despair, from the American novel…

From Featureshoot.com,

Spellbinding Photos of Meals from Classic Books
by Ellyn Kail

“Paris photographer Charles Roux describes his boyhood self as “a lonely kid that filled his life – and his voids- with literary fiction.” In this way, you could say Fictitious Feasts began in the artist’s early years, when he was curled up with a book, turning the pages and imagining the worlds inside them.

Growing up, he always had a vivid and visceral picture in his head of Alice’s tea party in Wonderland, the dinner table at the Ramsay house in Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse, Gregor Samsa’s wretched pile of rotting food, left on the floor each morning by his sister Grete in Kafka’s The Metamorphosis. As an adult and still life photographer, he had the means to bring these scenes to life.

Food, Roux suggests, has a hallowed place in the literary realm. Meals become metaphors; the real magic is in the mundane. For Fictitious Feasts, the photographer started with the books. Some, like the madeleines from Remembrance of Things Past and the porridge stolen by Goldilocks from the Three Bears, popped into his head instantly. Others took more time to recall and dig up. He read and reread the classics, jotted down notes, and sketched out table settings…”

For the rest, click here.

We love this. It speaks for itself…

Artist Leaves Dress In The Dead Sea For 2 Months And It Turns Into Glittering Salt Crystal Masterpiece

by James Gould-Bourn for Bored Panda

“For her project titled Salt Bride, Israeli artist Sigalit Landau decided to submerge a black gown in the Dead Sea. The gown spent 2 months in the salt-rich waters in 2014, and as you can see from these stunning pictures, the end result is nothing short of magical.

The project is an eight-part photo series inspired by S. Ansky’s 1916 play titled Dybbuk. The play is about a young Hasidic woman who becomes possessed by the spirit of her dead lover, and Landau’s salt-encrusted gown is a replica of the one worn in the dramatic production of the 1920s.

Landau checked on the black gown various times in order to capture the gradual process of salt crystalisation that you can see in the pictures below. You can also see them at London’s Marlborough Contemporary, where they’ll be on display until September 3rd…”

For more pics and more info, click here.

There is something incredibly thought-provoking about this work…

“By using relatable items, Dyck explores the relationship between the natural world and humanity; the shared dependency we have with different species that as humans we’re essentially at the mercy of.”

From The Creator’s Project,

Artist Fixes Damaged Objects By Placing Them in Beehives
by Anna Marks

“These honeycomb encrusted sculptures look like they’re 3D printed or shaped by a sculptor’s hands but all have been built by nature’s most efficient designers: bees. Canadian artist Aganetha Dyck is the woman behind these wax-covered objects with over 20 years experience working with beekeepers, scientists, and hundreds of bee collaborators.

Dyck’s work reflects the evolution of design today, where due to advancements in technology we can manipulate nature as an effective tool to produce elaborate artwork. Dyck has an inherent interest in collectibles and memorabilia and her personal work mirrors this fascination. Her honeycomb covered collection exhibits a range of items including Edwardian figurines, helmets, shoes and sports equipment that look as though they ought to be sitting within an old curiosity shop.

Dyck tells The Creators Project, “Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in figurines and collectibles. I wondered about dust and dusting of figurines and of the glass cabinets containing these untouchable treasures. These collectibles were beyond my reach as a child and adult alike.” But Dyck’s object choices are also political. “Choosing sports equipment is a reaction to the press discussing the importance of sports and their related public funding vs artists and cultural workers and their public funding.” By using relatable items, Dyck explores the relationship between the natural world and humanity; the shared dependency we have with different species that as humans we’re essentially at the mercy of. Her sculptures are visual representations of this dependent communication…”

Click here for the amazing photos.