Commissioned by the Society for Contemporary Craft in Pittsburgh, PA for their exhibition titled, “DIY: a Revolution in Handicrafts.”
Originally set up at the SCC’s “EAT Space” (now traveling with the exhibition), the installation includes a deli case filled with five handmade, soft sculpture meat trays, four large soft sculpture meats to be hung from the ceiling behind the deli case (pictured here on shelf), a life-sized meat locker drawing, and a “menu.”
This project exposes the true cost of factory farmed meat through the price tags on each tray. The price of each pork and beef product includes both the average supermarket price per pound, plus the cost to taxpayers in public health, environmental damage and government subsidies. These costs were calculated from data found in various government, industry and scientific reports, and are broken out in the “Today’s Specials” menu board. A fully cited spreadsheet is available. This research was also displayed in an alternate format (for beef only) in my “Cash Cow” project.
The trays in the case are made entirely from fabrics derived from recycled plastic. The trays are polyester fleece, the lettuce is acrylic felt, and the meats are a combination of the two, sewn together with polyester thread and filled with recycled polyester fiber. The price tags are acrylic felt hand embroidered with wool yarn and attached to a straight pin.
Sliced Bacon Tray: fleece, felt, thread, stuffing, wire, wool yarn, straight pin. Approx. 22” x 25” x 10”
Sliced Ham Tray: fleece, felt, buttons, thread, stuffing, wool yarn, straight pin. Approx. 22” x 25” x 12”
Steak tray: fleece, felt, thread, stuffing, wool yarn, straight pin. Approx. 15” x 25” x 14”
Pork chop tray: fleece, felt, thread, stuffing, wool yarn, straight pin. Approx. 15” x 25” x 12”
Ham Hock Tray: fleece, felt, thread, buttons, stuffing, wool yarn, straight pin. Approx. 15” x 25” x 6”
Pork chop tray detail
Price tag detail. Approx. 3” x 4”
Today’s Specials: Giclee print mounted on paperboard. Approx. 13” x 19”.
Meat locker drawing (displayed as diptych): marker on archival paper. Approx. 9’ x 12’
To purchase any piece in the exhibition, please contact the Society for Contemporary Craft directly.