Family Portrait
Description: Most people grow up learning to avoid candy from strangers. But what about candy that is about the family of a stranger?
Toi Sennhauser offers up home made hard candy as a declaration of love for the most important people in her life. She describes her parents, three siblings and husband by translating their character into sweet, telling hard-candy concoctions.
In a society where family is increasingly misplaced with fast-paced life styles, Toi Sennhauser shares her family one slow bite at a time.
“Family Portrait”
Medium: edible installation;
glass, candy wrappers, sugar, water, corn syrup, natural and artificial flavors
Mama
orange-tangerine candy, rolled in salt and sugar
Like many Asian mothers, Mama has a habit of dipping her orange slices into salt to make them sweeter. She is a strict, traditional woman, who will scold before hug, but behind the salty exterior her love is pure.
Papa
plum candy with cocoa nib center, rolled in green peppercorn sugar
Papa is a complicated man. Fierce businessman, lover of culture and quiet nature preservationist packed together—he radiates authority, elegance and earthiness all in one bite.
P’Weo
cherry-apricot candy, rolled in cinnamon sugar
Just like cherry pie, P’Weo is familiar and loving, like the best childhood memories of growing up with an admired older sister.
Att
burnt citric acid candy, rolled in rose pedal sugar
Nicki
banana-caramel with a hint of nutmeg
Besides banana being the only fruit he likes, he is fiercely independent, a strong personality who is interesting and unusual…perhaps just like a caramel banana.
Peter
espresso-chocolate caramel with chili oil and ground sichuan peppercorn
Peter, the husband, is delightful—a stick-to-your-teeth kind of guy whose clever mischievousness hits you like chili oil in the back of your mouth.
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