Step away from the burger! Artist uses miniature models to highlight one of America’s weightie

Step away from the burger! Artist uses miniature models to highlight one of America’s weightie

Mangalore Today News Network

Enormous portions just took on a whole new meaning.

When Seattle-based artist Christopher Boffoli decided he wanted to highlight the American culture of over consumption he couldn’t think of anything more iconic than the traditional cheeseburger.

And the 40-year-old’s snapshot of tiny hand painted figurines with riot shields placed around the burger and fries as a fat cowboy walks certainly makes an impression.

Stay away! Although artist Christopher Boffoli his work often draws a laugh, he said he hopes a deeper message is conveyed

This picture is part of a collection called Disparity, with each photograph being crafted using real food alongside tiny figurines and can take anything from 15 minutes to three hours to create.

I chose food as a backdrop because it is a constant,’ said Mr Boffoli.

’Across cultures, languages, and socio-economic status, food is something that everyone knows and can talk about with some authority and yet mostly without controversy.

’People see a striking image of food and are immediately drawn in because it is something familiar. 

Do you know where your chocolate comes from? Artist Christopher Boffoli glued his figurines onto real chocolate using modelling clay or agave nectar

 

 

Peppered with love: Every creation can take between 15minutes and an hour depending on light, the number of models and what food is being used

’I suppose that in a sense the little figures have a commonality too as everyone plays with out of scale toys as a child.

’As an American too I think my choice is conscious in terms of the strange and often negative relationship that many Americans have towards food.

’I mean, the work is mostly humourous on the surface but I’m also perhaps making some other statements too about North America’s food bounty, overuse, abuse and obsessions.’

Working on his project since 2006, Christopher has been inspired by the Lilliputians of ’Gulliver’s Travels’ to create his organic scenes.

’The set-ups come from a very organic place,’ explained Mr Boffoli.

’I’ll usually start with the food, seeing what’s in season at the farmer’s market, considering what I’ve shot before. Or I think about iconic foods, like Oreo cookies.

Cucumber Sunbathers: The exhibition called Disparity took five years to complete with artist Christopher Boffoli saying it was often tedious work

But I also consider how I can populate those images with figures with a context that makes sense.’

And although the images look simple Mr Boffoli said creating the pieces can often be tedious to place in exactly the right position.

He added: We have a lot of overcast days here in Seattle so it has marvellous, diffused light.  I try to use available light as much as possible, though if I’m still working as the evening approaches I’ll set up a couple of off-camera slaves to add light. ’

’The images have a strength and a personality of their own,’ said Christopher.

’But they are most often exhibited with captions that lend an extra bit of energy to the concept, and of course, often reinforce the laugh.

’Hopefully it gives the viewer a laugh at the expectation of events that may have followed.’