Eurocrem
Render 3D
3 x pigment prints (framed)
35 x 35cm
Edition of 3 sets + 2 AC
The work was comissioned by the ART Transparent Foundation, 2023
2023
Eurocrem is a sweet, two-tone spread made from cocoa, hazelnuts, milk,
and sugar, produced since 1972 under an Italian license in what is now
Serbia. It was probably the most popular product in the former Yugoslavia
and is still produced by the Serbian company Swisslion-Takovo. The
brand names reflect an ambition towards Western orientation, and
Eurocrem has a large following of enthusiasts who are ready to defend
any suggestion that their beloved spread is simply an Eastern version of
Nutella. A toast with Eurocrem on Macedonian marble, placing a mass
produced socialist-era sweet on a stone countertop referencing the
classical heritage of the region, merges geopolitics with national myths
that stretch back to ancient times. Marta Stysiak’s work addresses the
issue of national identities in countries aspiring to join the European
Union, drawing upon images that reflect contemporary life, culture,
and the ambitions of the nation. Referring to the conventions of food
photography – which often emphasizes regional traditions or products
while following unifying global trends – the images of toast with
cream in Stysiak’s work are generated by software from the American
company OpenAI. Here, the hidden markings at the margins provide a
chance to distinguish a photograph of an actual object from an image
created by artificial intelligence. Although Eurocrem aficionados would
likely immediately notice the absence of its characteristic light-colored
component, the omission by the AI might suggest that its single-color
counterpart was used as the reference.
Render 3D
3 x pigment prints
35 x 35cm
Edition of 3 sets + 2 AC
