Pip Greenaway

The act of chewing gum—initially valued for its freshness and social allure—becomes undesirable waste once its temporary pleasure is exhausted. Emphasized through rhythm and deliberate overstimulation of the senses, we witness a transformation: from consuming a desirable object to becoming a desirable object— or perhaps to becoming unwanted debris. Like gum, which is first praised for its ability to refresh, entertain and enhance social presence, but is ultimately discarded once its function is fulfilled.

The audio-visual installation TOO MUCH TO SWALLOW by Pip Greenaway (2000) reconstructs a store where a three-channel video displays illusory shop windows from streets in Western Europe. Interwoven through these images is a single figure, compulsively chewing gum until she gradually transforms into the very product she consumes. Through the layering of image, sound and scent, the installation probes our collective obsession with crafting dreamlike appearances and how consumer culture generates temporary illusions in which we willingly take part. Exploring the connection between overconsumption and personal identity through the metaphor of chewing gum, challenging the audience to recognize their own role in the spectacle.

ARTIST: PIP GREENAWAY

SOUNDSCAPE: PIP GREENAWAY & NIELS KRAAK