All Things Sweet and Painful

All Things Sweet and Painful is an exhibition of life-like sculptures by Ronit Baranga taking a twisted turn into the world of sweets and desserts. The treats have their own mouths, awaiting their chance to bite. Who eats who?

This exhibition will run from Oct 17th – Nov 8th.

In this series, the table is inhabited by irresistible temptations. The tea set comes to life, each member fulfilling its role in this small society of fragile, polite beings.

On a deeper psychological level, Baranga addresses the complex relationship we have with luxuries, especially with foods: the mix of need and the insatiable hunger for more—more sugar, more attention, more love. There is a constant push against the boundaries of rational consumption, craving the sugar rush, forever tempted to go overboard.

The detailed sculpted and painted sweets are at the same time a thing of beauty and a sinful indulgence. Seducing and promising, they hold a hidden threat and convey a feeling of unease. We know our secret vices won’t go unpunished. We torture ourselves for the very thought of joyful, careless lust.

Baranga is a native of Israel and continues to live and work there. She was the 2016 recipient of the Israeli Ministry of Culture Award.

Her work has been displayed in museums and galleries around the world. Key exhibitions include the Triennale Design Museum in Milan, Banksy’s Dismaland and solo exhibitions in Tel-Aviv, New York and Australia.