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.