Godiva Heart
Artist
Chuck Ramirez
(American, 1962 - 2010)
Date2002
Mediumpigment print, face-mounted to Plexiglas
Dimensions36 x 36 in. (91.4 x 91.4 cm)
ClassificationsPhotograph
Credit LineGift of Brenda Edelson, 2012
Object number2012.27
DescriptionGold-colored plastic interior of a heart-shaped box of Godiva chocolates without the candy, against a white background.eMuseum Notes
Ramirez’s playful, colorful creations often grab our attention and then pack a punch. He uses iconic objects to critique the fickle consumerism of North American mainstream culture but also as a metaphor for the transience and frailty of life. Using the technique of sharp-focus product photography that he learned while working as a graphic designer for a supermarket chain in Texas, the artist presents us with a large image of a heart-shaped candy tray that was part of a box of deluxe chocolates. By isolating the gold-colored heart against a white background, printing it larger-than-life, and mounting it on to glossy plastic, the artist glorifies a mundane and disposable item of popular culture, making it appear shiny and significant but often all the more vacant in contrast to that glitter.
On View
Not on viewSubhankar Banerjee
2009 (printed 2011)