What do you buy the woman who has everything? Certainly not a handbag designed by Andrea Hasler – not unless you want to break up with them in the most severe way. The Swiss artist has had us retching with her commentary on consumerism before, and this series of heinous handbags and sausage-filled shoes continues her journey into the unpleasant, challenging the viewer with grotesque versions of desirable objects. “How much do you want it?”, she seems to be asking. Not a lot, we reply through gritted teeth and slightly squinting eyes.
Hasler has been given free run at GUSFORD in Los Angeles to turn the space into a twisted boutique for an exhibition called Burden of Excess, filled with her once-seen-never-forgotten Desire objects, based on exclusive fashion products. It’s not real meat she’s using of course but a facsimile made of wax, which has all the realism you could possibly want, and more besides. The altar of excess opens for business between 7th June and 10th August. Eat first.