Maggot, 2010

Maggot and Maggy (2008-2010) are created for an exhibition in Skulpturengarten Sonnenwald. The works are symbols of disgust, of the worm in the apple, of death. The sculptures are an abyss-like, deadly, formless fantasy, in which mankind sees themselves mirrored in something that they do not understand. The sculptures Maggot and Maggy are big and abstruse. They also make you laugh, and can be used for play. Because of its organic appearance and tactile quality, the visceral quality of the silicone evokes both disgust and sensual attraction. The maggot represents transience, a view of the human body as a fragment, a little particle in the universe where we live, related to our own decay. A maggot creates the most powerful mind blast in the human mind! - a little thing representing the fear of death and decomposition. As children, we encounter the world differently then grown ups. The ability to feel disgust is gained through socialization. Infants have been shown to feel no disgust to substances, objects or odors, and they even put feces, bugs or worms in the mouth. ‘OOhhh, what’s that gigantic worm I can ride, Mommy?’ The maggot sculptures are aimed specifically for children because they are not yet conditioned to feel repulsion to ideas of death and decay.

Maggot and Maggy (2008-2010) Medium: silicone