Description of Work

Sugar Coated - 2021 - Graphic Design, Mixed Media - Not for Sale

Artist's Statement

Sugar Coated is an interactive experience designed for the audience to visually connect common, packaged foods with their sugary equivalents in reference to their high added sugar contents. Viewing foods in this deglamorized, ironic manner – through the lens of a vending machine – better establishes the correlation between the products and their poor nutritional values.  

Low fat yogurt, fruit juice, soup, and pasta sauce are just a few of the many packaged products that are misleadingly high in added sugars and often advertised as being “healthy” choices. Companies successfully target consumers with deceptive packaging and marketing tactics, along with consumers being unaware of alternative names for sugar on nutrition labels. This leads to an overconsumption of sugar causing serious, long-term health effects, such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, which unintentionally stem from sugar-rich foods in our everyday diets. With the number of people diagnosed with diet-related health conditions on the rise – primarily among young children – this prevalent topic is not being discussed enough. Creating awareness around this ongoing issue is important in helping people understand exactly what goes into their food and how to regain control of their purchasing habits and consumer knowledge.   

If you wish to purchase any of these pieces, please contact the gallery director, Jacqueline Nathan (jnathan@bgsu.edu.)