anya gallaccio assaults the senses with edible dark chocolate room

anya gallaccio assaults the senses with edible dark chocolate room
all photography by ruth clark / courtesy of jupiter artland

scottish artist anya gallaccio assaults the senses of visitors to edinburgh’s jupiter artland with ‘stroke’, an entire room covered in thick dark chocolate. the immersive and interactive installation is lightly scented, beckoning gallery visitors to interact with the walls, by picking, licking or stroking the edible surfaces. activated by the audience, the exhibit is just as much about the edible space itself as the desire and anticipation of entering the room, suggesting gallaccio’s recurrent themes of lust and feminism.

the thick coating of melted materials, and the interplay with the observer, results in a natural processes of transformation and decay. gallaccio has described that she sees her works, ‘as being a performance and collaboration. there is unpredictability in the materials and collaborations I get involved in. making a piece of work becomes about chance – not just imposing will on something, but acknowledging its inherent qualities.’

the chocolate-coated room beckons visitors to touch and taste

natural decay will occur on the edible material

the smell of chocolate will pervade the small enclosed space

the exhibit is just as much about the edible space itself as the desire and anticipation of entering the room

dark chocolate coats the walls

the room will transform over time, through the interaction with the visitor