June 10 2015 – July 5 2015 

The turning point –

A collision between two turns of the century

The couple von Hallwyl’s dining room from the turn of the last century testifies to the grandeur of the dinner parties of the upper bourgeoisie of the time. With its rich décor, the room tells of a time when the meal was surrounded by strict conventions, which signalled economic prosperity and social status. At a time when our modern society was gaining momentum, production was shifting from the home to factories. Mass production was a new but growing phenomenon, and the world was changing. The zeal for rationalisation and efficiency of our time has its starting point here.

The artist Supawan Sihapoompichit’s work, Happy Meal (2012) consists of 120 porcelain sculptures. They reflect the speed at which we live our lives today, devouring the earth’s resources like a swarm of locusts. Mass-produced fast food leaves its mark on the environment – and in our bodies. Plastic, paper and Styrofoam on the streets; trans fats and cholesterol in our veins. Pre-cooked meals also affect our relationships. If we don’t have time to sit down together at a set table, do we have the time to really talk to each other?

I en tidigare installation av Happy Meal har verket närmast sjunkit genom golvet, som rester från ett skeppsbrott. I mötet med den burgna matsalen i Hallwylska palatset får verket en ny innebörd: vi blickar bakåt och ser den långa resan sedan det sena 1800-talet. Idag står vi åter inför en vändpunkt. Världen kräver en förändring av vårt sätt att leva.