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THE GELATIN SCULPTURE PROJECT

by

DANIEL WURTZEL

Photoshop Illustrations by Hank Grebe

 Click on each image for enlargement

 

Artist's Statement

"The idea of casting Jell-O-like sculptures came to me as a result of consciously trying to free my mind from the traditional constraints of sculpture making. For me, this work sums up the spirit of the times in a joyous, uniquely American way, with humor, a never-before- seen sculptural presence, jewel-like visual beauty, tactile sensuality and conceptual clarity. For these reasons, and because of Jell-O’s huge recognition in the popular consciousness, I believe that the project would generate substantial interest not only in the culturally sophisticated art world, but among the public in general, children and adults."

"It is my belief that to fully realize the potential of the concept, and to provide the viewer and his/her imagination with a maximum sense of new experience, it must be executed on a monumental scale."

Project Background

Over the course of many months of experimentation and testing, and with the help of numerous food scientists, chemists and gelatin manufacturers, I've developed a recipe for the creation of a substance which has all of the outward characteristics of Jell-O, yet, unlike real Jell-O, it does not mold, decay, spoil or melt at room temperatures.

Physical Properties

  • Gelatin based.

  • Non-Toxic.

  • Permanent. Does not mold, shrink, decay or melt at room temperatures.

  • Optical Clarity/ Light Transmission. Prismatic effects vary with the exterior shape and surface texture of the casting.

  • Flexibility/ Mobility. Unique harmonic motion is intrinsic to each casting, and varies with mass and shape.

  • Scent. Artificial flavors added.

  • Sensuous flesh-like texture.

  • Can be made more firm or loose by altering the gel content.

  • Can be made in any color/flavor.

  • Gains and loses weight in an ongoing lag-time pattern with atmospheric humidity levels.

  • Thermo-reversibility. Material may be re-cooked and re-cast several times without detrimental effect.

 

Contact Daniel Wurtzel:   danielwurtzel@hotmail.com

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