In the spirit of The Futurist Cookbook, Bwargh von Modnar and I decided to play with water and flavours. That is, the fake flavours that make up the liquid portion of the American diet. For art.
We turned our idea into refreshment for the FLOMM 4.23 event – whereas, participants were invited to enjoy ice cold bottled spring water
or
add the colour powder (via drink mix sticks) that best fits what they’d like to experience. Written text accompanied their choices.
What did we learn?
If one forgets to refill the ice chest, people get annoyed.
Also: No one really likes green water unless there’s real veggies involved. (In California, anyway.)
The favs? ANARANJADO (we think because of our artist statement) and ROJO – or more specifically, the rather tasty Walmart-made Dragon Fruit Caffeinated Powder we included.
Corollary: Random guy in Dollar Store raving about the piss yellow, off brand drink mix in the cart – ‘Haveya had it before? Haveya?? I lovvvvvvvvvve it!’
PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE
What does the color orange taste like?
an interactive art installation
by
flommists
steve mehallo und bwargh von modnar
artists statement
In America,
our foods are flavoured with chemicals
And visually, artificial colours complete the illusion
Then
Really creative marketing people come up with names like
CHERRY,
KIWI WATERMELON,
GRAPE
and BLUE RASPBERRY
While none of these ingredients are involved at all in their production
Well, maybe a little bit
The poisonous part of peach pits is used to make the ‘NATURAL FLAVOR’ chemical we call ‘STRAWBERRY’
The difference between ARTIFICIAL and NATURAL FLAVORS are the sources used to make the chemicals
If the product says NATURAL FLAVOR, it’s just another chemical
What the hell is BLUE RASPBERRY anyway?
It’s not BLUEBERRY –
cause today, BLUEBERRIES are made from
HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP
MODIFIED TAPIOCA STARCH
and
RED #40
BLUE #01
‘This tastes like what CHERRY should be’
said the Jello people
‘This tastes like what whipped cream should be’
said the Cool Whip people
‘Let’s get an entire generation to eat RED Jello with Cool Whip!’
Some adults today have never had a Real Orange
But can identify one because of the photo on the plastic bottle
‘ORANGE Soda has no relationship to Real Oranges
But we’ll add flame retardant to it to make it more juice-like’
‘Add caffeine and aspartame!
But not too much, so they’ll want more’
Pick your water Add a colour
Be American !! Be proud !!
ROJO
Pairs well with Ramen and Netflix marathons
Hints of oak, may remind of cherry, strawberry, the Target cafeteria
AMARILLO
It’s oaky and buttery with a hint of crushed hope
Tastes like a call from grandma in the middle of defusing a bomb
She wants to know if you’ll finally stop doing improv and take your life more seriously
You tell her, “Yes, AND …”
MORADO
Reminds one of wine and Donny Osmond
But mostly wine
Pairs well with the realization that the 90s were about 20 years ago
ANARANJADO
Could be a lot like fruit from the backyard of a Navy Seal
Sets on the palette like a slur spoken in the wrong company
Cartoon ducks don’t wear pants
CAFE
May be tea, may be lemon
It’s brown
Like the hair
of a beautiful, buxom Chérette
who can’t boil water
VERDE
Tastes like solar energy if solar energy was owned by Justin Bieber
Notes of pthalo, cadmium, deflated bicycle tire
Pairs well with gas station croissants
AZUL
Fruity and dry, like a music festival in the desert
Blue
like ocean,
sky,
like veins in our wrists
Like the color of your childhood bedroom and the sadness of leaving it behind
Like a toilet duck in your mouth
IS this water?
When did I lose my shoes?
—steve mehallo, bwargh von modnar
Flommist Steve Mehallo is a graphic designer, illustrator, font designer, educator, foodie and gadfly. He is the creator and founder of FLOMM!
Flommist Bwargh von Modnar is.
Copyright © 2016 Steve Mehallo and Bwargh von Modnar. With thanks to Ruby Flores, Kellie Macauley, Felicia Czwakiel, and Bill Mead for help with translations, foto moment, installation of our art, and ice.
PLEASE SUPPORT FLOMM
TIPS + DONATIONS DISCREETLY ACCEPTED