Meticulously Crafted Cakes

What does it say about our culture that we have a fascination for cakes that are meticulously crafted to look like anything but cake? Why is it so enticing to watch a knife cut through a T-bone steak or a Doc Marten only to reveal red velvet or chocolate layers? Hyperrealism emerged alongside the technology explosion, finding its footing somewhere in the '90s and growing increasingly more popular in the unmooring of 2020. Look here for cakes that will startle your senses, and look here for art that mimics reality in a way that is both challenging and oddly satisfying.

While Realism was a response to the gaudy awe and sensuality of Romanticism, what is Hyperrealism a response to? Consider the hyper-consumerism and digital image obsession of today's culture. Hyperrealism -- whether seen in paintings, sculpture, or, um, cake -- is drawing out and sometimes poking fun at the obsessions that most demand our attention and dollars. We also see an echo of late-Romantic efforts to unite the world. What better way to bond than over a box of take-out Pad Thai that is actually layered lemon curd?

As we chuckle (or salivate) over the cakes and are awed by the mind-boggling precision of the art, take note of the cultural longings at play: to recreate creation, to elevate perfection, to embrace a full-bodied moment, to agree on a common aesthetic, to dismantle expectations. Do you hear the interplay of dissatisfaction and desire, of construction and deconstruction? 

Jesus calls us in Matthew 28:16-20 to go into the world and share his peace, not retreat and point fingers as if others are in the wrong and we hold a secret truth. So what does it mean that we and our quarantine culture are fascinated with cakes that aren't cakes? How will a knowledge of Hyperrealism as a current cultural swing help you share hope with your neighbor, your family, your coworker? If someone who is seeking God's Kingdom is clinging to the suspicion that you are selling an illusion, how will you share God's joy and promises in a new way that they can hear?

Blessings on your week,

Jennie