Sushi Restaurants Near Me no. 2
2022
Ceramics, Slip casting, Sushi Package
Eight artists were invited to exhibit their works in the Edmond de Rothschild Center. Many of them, having completed their studies during a raging pandemic, were strewn into the local art scene at a time when key rules of etiquette suddenly became forbidden, interpersonal and social gatherings were thought dangerous, and countless exhibition openings were canceled.
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The pandemic had many of us adapt to using food delivery services and witness various forms of packaging - objects from alternative civilizations.
Tair Almor set out on a formal and material research expedition, following sushi takeout packaging designs which she discovered are a cheap imitation of traditional Japanese lacquerware. Almor created a series of ceramic sculptures titled “Sushi Restaurants Near Me” in which Gyoza dumplings , Nigiri, and other Japanese dishes are combined to adorn classic pottery and Greek columns. The sculptures' appearance placed this type of fast food on a higher, sacred level. In Manners and Customs, the components of the sushi packaging and its contents are reminiscent of Dutch Delft tiles, referencing the status symbol of Dutch aristocracy and marking the artist's identity. Almor's work seemingly pulls together high European culture with low consumer culture. However, the Dutch tradition was in fact inspired by an assortment of Chinese and Japanese ceramic dishes brought into the European country by merchants in the 17th and 18th centuries, placing prestigious designs beside low-cost plastic imitations.