Empty: Popcorn, Marshmallows & Cigarettes @ Umber Studios

"Ruben Nusz's sculptures are meticulously cast and carved resin replicas of popcorn, marshmallows, and cigarettes. Each object is sanded and then painted in trompe-l'oeil style so as to truly fool the eye. Nusz sees this style as a metaphor for the illusory fulfillment as guaranteed by capitalism. These products promise happiness and pleasure but in reality lead to the opposite effect: consumption of marshmallows (they have zero nutritional value) contributes to the american obesity epidemic, one of the common artificial-butter flavorings in popcorn causes respiratory ailments, and - of course - modern cigarettes contain over five hundred additives (not to mention the over 4000 chemical compounds that are created by burning a cigarette). "

-Umber Studios

See more photos from this event at www.digitalcrushphoto.com