Is it Art or Cannibalism?
Marco Evaristti is a performance artist in the vein of Vito Acconci. The body plays a part in both of their expression of art.
Evaristti, born in Chile and living in Denmark, has gone a step further. In his piece, Polpette al grasso di Marco, the artist had liposuction. He then prepared meatballs with the fat removed from his body.
David Zincavage of Never Yet Melted had this to say about an event that followed.
“Ladies and gentleman, bon appetit and may god bless,” said Marco Evaristti, a glass in his hand, to his dining companions
seated last Thursday night around a table in Santiago’s Animal Gallery.
Two cans have already been sold to collectors for US$23,200 each. Evaristti claims that the meatballs are not only delicious, but contain less fat than supermarket meatballs.
On the plates in front of them was a serving of agnolotti pasta and in the middle a meatball made with oil Evaristti removed from his body in a liposuction procedure last year.
“The question of whether or not to eat human flesh is more important than the result,” he said, explaining the point of his creation.
Evaristti produced 48 meatballs with his own fat, some of which would be canned and sold for $US4000 dollars for 10.”
“You are not a cannibal if you eat art,” he added.
I’m not sure the generation that grew up with Chef Boy-ar-dee are going to hop on this culinary trail. Perhaps those who love fois gras might pony up the big bucks for a can or two @ $23,200 each. But my money is on those who will pursue abstemiousness regarding this food trend. Ethical issues abound as well as the question of if Evaristti has been grain or pasture fed.
I myself, have been leaning back towards a vegetarian diet and shock artists like this one probably won’t bring me back into the fold. Besides, living in Texas, we already have a plethora of good beef if I so choose. And I am in favor of eating local products over the exotic.
But it does take all kinds ~ and they’re all here.
Exhibit details:
Galería Animal
Alonso de Cordova 3105
Vitacura, Chile
M-F 10:00-8:00
Saturday 10:30-2:00
Until January 27th.
Alfonso Cevola writes from the safety of his bunker in Texas. His blog, On the Wine Trail in Italy, keeps him well fed with ideas and dreams.
Wow. That’s just… horrific.