The goal of the project is to raise question surrounding the abject and the object. This subject is addressed by the use of human bacteria and the transformation thereof into cheese.

 

In this work the abject is transformed into an object by using human bacteria, found beneath the toes of the chosen subjects, into the object by manipulating the bacteria into cheese.  Thus something that is seen by society as intangible and useless is transformed into an actual object that can be touched and packaged as a product.

 

Thus, the abject is transformed from being socially unacceptable bacteria into a product, ready for mass consumption and consumer culture.  The context in which the abject appears makes it more appealing and socially acceptable.  The abject no longer poses a threat to society, but rather blends in as a product ready for consumption.

 

The female body, which is also seen as an object by society, is put in a reversed roll where the form is seen as an abstract abject used as the source of the cheese as well as a representation of her socially structured body type. The object represents an idea, which has been formed via a social construction.  Each body represents a shape, and therefor is objectified.

 

Although this bacterium is the reason for people smelling bad, this bad smell is somehow acceptable in regards to cheese. Bodily smells, which are the products of these bacteria’s, are highly frowned upon, although they translate effortlessly into cheese. The context of the abject creates a blurry line between the socially constructed ideas we have surrounding human bacteria and hygiene.

 

In the artwork Mufspul I am constantly playing on the interpretation of the abject as an object and the object as an abject.