Edition of 7 copies
10 1/4” x 7” x 6 3/8”
2017
Palate Palette is part of the artist’s ongoing exploration of color studies which presents itself this time as seven melted popsicles stored in transparent drawers. The popsicle sticks are burned with seven phrases of ancient wisdom that relate to the ephemeral process of eating a frozen treat. The colors reflect seasonal flavors created in Il Gelatauro gelato shop in Bologna, Italy, specifically Concord grape, prickly pear cactus (which is sometimes pink and sometimes orange), pineapple, mango, blood orange and a year round favorite, chocolate.
The first iteration of branded wisdom and faux popsicles featured in a performance piece in Bologna, Italy in 2001 titled “I Ghiaccioli” (The Popsicles). Faux popsicles were displayed in a case outside in an art gallery courtyard, and the public was invited to select from a tray at the entrance a printed popsicle stick with the phrase that most appealed. They then presented the stick with their selected phrase to the artist, who exchanged it for a conceptually related flavor, created as a collaboration with the artist’s husband and renowned gelato and chocolate maker Giovanni Figliomeni.
In Palate Palette, glue is the protagonist, as opposed to an invisible, but necessary, element. This reflects not just the artist’s interest in faux food and facsimiles, like the Sir Thomas S’mores and Bacon’s Bits of Broken Knowledge, but a desire to exploit materials in ways which they were not intended. Also, a desire to use inexpensive materials and processes whenever possible with the goal of being an enabler for other artists: trying to show what might be done with low-tech, commonly available means.
Phrases, authors, flavor colors from top of box:
Il processo si risolve in una risata – Orazio (Concord grape)
Ognuno rincorre il suo piacere – Virgilio (chocolate)
Tempo consumatore delle cose – Ovidio (mango)
L’arte consiste nel nascondere l’arte – Ovidio (prickly pear cactus)
Il tempo tutto scopre – Tertulliano (pineapple)
Il lavoro supera la materia – Ovidio (blood orange)
Nati solo per mangiare – Orazio (prickly pear cactus)
Archival PVA glue, acrylic gel medium and watercolor pigments on wood branded with text cast in bronze affixed onto acrylic sheets placed in acrylic drawers.
Angelonium 