AVM Curiosities
Alabaster Ruins

Photo: © Victoria and Albert Museum Sculpture - The Dorothy and Michael Hintze Galleries, Room 21a 
 
AVM Curiosities have created a contemporary sugar sculpture that takes inspiration from European architectural heritage. Historically, sugar sculptures were synonymous with luxury and power. Alabaster Ruins combines ancient and modern techniques, using a 17th century ‘sugar-plate’ recipe alongside 3D printing technology. It brings together fragments of English Tudor, French Gothic, German Baroque and classical Greek structures. The forms, scanned and cast from the V&A’s collection, are transformed into transient ruins. They point to the ephemerality and consumption of European culture, and the Museum’s urge to preserve it.

Founded by food historian Tasha Marks, AVM Curiosities champions the use of food as an artistic medium with projects ranging from exhibitions and sculptural installations to interactive lectures and limited edition confectionary.