Untitled Gum 016
Untitled Gum 016
Original Hyperreal Sculpture
by DZ, 2020
Life-size ceramic 1st Molar (#19)
1.75” x 1.25” x 1.5”
Porcelain, rare earth metals with 18 karat gold
Sculpture titled after collector
Technical
Each tooth is cast with three times the technical complexity of a dental mold, hand polished, hand painted, hand made. You will not see a fake anytime soon. The chewing gums undergo polishing, nuanced sculpting, glazing, and four annealing firings. Each unique piece requires dedication and technical mastery to complete. 18 karat gold/white gold will not tarnish over the centuries.
Art Context
In the English language, the same word is used for flesh that holds teeth in our skulls and the unnatural substance we chew to pass the time. This series materializes that verbal pun to contemplate a deeper meaning. Like the ouroboros symbol: that which is doing the eating, is being eaten. There is a magic to this symbol which has emerged from within.
These icons of modern humanity are some of the smaller American sculpture created to date. They are reminiscent of netsuke and far beyond the technique of modern dentistry while serving no function. These porcelain human teeth are life-size, with the roots intact unlike an orthodontic crown. Specially formulated semi-translucent porcelain becomes an everlasting relic disguised as urban detritus in the hands of David Zarovny.
Provenance
To verify authenticity, a certificate accompanies every original artwork. This document — signed by the artist — verifies the creation date and materials used to preserve the provenance of the art.
Personalized Title
When you purchase this sculpture, it carries your legacy. Your name will officially title the sculpture via the included provenance sheet. The title as it appears online will be updated after it’s first sale.
Free Shipping
We will update you when your order has finally shipped with an estimated delivery date. Use discount code: COLLECTOR.
Return Policy
If for some reason, the quality of the sculpture is not up to par, we will accept a return within 30 days - provided it’s not damaged. There is a $20 restocking fee to recoup material losses. You must carefully package it exactly as you received it.
History of modern chewing gum
The Sapodilla or Chicle tree from Central America, and later introduced to SouthEast Asia, oozes precious latex
to protect itself whenever the bark is injured. This latex was collected by Aztecs and Mayans for thousands of years to make chewing gum for freshening the breath and quenching thirst.
In the early twentieth century, mass commercial exploitation of the trees took off into a multi-billion dollar global industry resulting in severe damage of the forests over the period of 40 years. Continued demand for the useful material lead to the development of synthetic vinyl substitutes based on petroleum, the main ingredients of almost all chewing gum ever since.†
After the Industrial Revolution, soft sugary foods decayed our teeth and caused our wisdom teeth to impact 10 times more often.‡ Our mouths are a sacred gateway for matter to transcend back into energy. When the Buddah died in 543 BCE, the only thing recovered from the funeral pyre was the left canine tooth. It is a powerful relic today enshrined within a palace. Teeth outlast our bodies, and they hold the secrets of our lives.
We trust perfect teeth. What do you leave behind?
About the Artist
David Zarovny [DZ] has been an artist since childhood, introduced by his father Mikhail, a painter. Street art immediately appealed to DZ’s roguish tendencies during primary schooling. Ceramics became a passionate parallel to his graphic design degree, and was later developed over the years of bi-coastal study. Read more
Medium Choice
Porcelain, precious metals and minerals exude permanence. The alchemical process of firing clay at volcanic temperatures is an irreversible process of faith. Porcelain, when paper-thin has an ethereal translucency that is revered. A medium that’s been with us from at least 28,000 BCE and took us into outer space.