Notes:
- This is an attempt to recreate food (and other domestic) photography of the mid-century—and pervert it. “Reality is not what it seems” is an aphorism that comes to mind when dealing in things like this. The advertisements that inspired me depict—as they're meant to do—“perfection”.
- But in actualizing this idea, I learned firsthand that perfection is not equal to beauty. “Ugly” things (like Jello—ew) can be perfectly executed while remaining just as unpalatable.
- Take, for example, the woman who tans until she resembles leather and unironically wears thick black liner around her eyes with spidery lashes and fried yellow hair. Her look is largely considered tacky but every aspect of her beauty routine is intentional and perfected to her standards.
- Maybe there’s nothing to it, but I’m thrilled to begin to be able to verbalize why I and so many others are enamored with “tacky” subject matter.