Phagomania: Lollipop, Lollipop

We indulge our sweet tooth this month with the sugar-packed and somewhat saucy creations of photographer Massimo Gammacutra

Feature by Lewis MacDonald | 01 May 2015

Are these all sweets that you see before you? Sweets, or ‘candy’ if you have been living in the USA, as photographer and Rome native Massimo Gammacurta has for the last 15 years.

“Food is such a primal need,” states Gammacurta, explaining the driving forces behind these creations. “It goes into your veins, into your blood, and without it we do not survive. For me it is all about the relationship between food and art. Art is what we are. It is innovation or whatever you want it to be. I wouldn't survive without art... it is one of my primal needs.”

Rousing stuff, yet we wouldn’t expect anything less from a passionate Italian. But why go in the sticky direction of sugar, water and corn syrup? “Choosing candy as my media was dictated by the vibrant colours and imperfections you can achieve with it. Also, it is dangerous and unpredictable, just the way I like it.”

Turning the everyday alphabet into exotic, kaleidoscopic lustre dripping with alluring chewy fun, Gammacurta crafted a series of letters called Eat Me. He says, “it is all about lust, really nothing more than that,” and if you thought his alphabet was tantalising, you should see his Kama Sutra inspired series KamaSugar. That even made Phagomania feel a little bit prudish, so Google at your own risk.

Gammacurta describes himself as having dual roles – as a still life commercial photographer for clients such as Emporio Armani, with a sideline as a conceptual photographer in fine art and sculpture. “I like to create sculptures out of sugar,” he says, “but it is the nature of the beast; they decay over time, so I have to take pictures of them.”

Casting with sugar has proven a popular subject for him though. “I have had great reactions from my fine art candy project,” he states. "It has brought me notoriety and new projects, both commercially and in the fine art world.” The latest such project is a commission for more food-inspired lollipops as part of the “Tempting Art” show at Milan Design Week.

So what exactly is the appeal of Gammacurta’s palatable creations? “Like I said before, food is a primal need,” he says, “and anything primal will stimulate our brain. That is what makes food such an interesting subject and media.” There’s our lesson for the day – make your food sexy and you can grab anyone's attention – now go forth and unashamedly lap it up.

http://gammacurta.com