Petit Fours 2008

Curator: Standing before us is Barton Lidice Benes’ 2008 mixed-media artwork, "Petit Fours." It presents as a deceptively charming, almost saccharine creation. Editor: My first impression is… unsettling. The bright colors are playful, yet something feels subtly medicinal, almost clinical about the neatly arranged central subjects. Curator: Absolutely. Benes utilizes collage and assemblage to construct an interplay between the familiar and the disconcerting. Nine cupcake liners are displayed within the inner border. But instead of cakes, they hold intricate patterns crafted from pills. Editor: The work resonates powerfully within our cultural landscape—it begs for intersectional analyses concerning pharmaceutical dependency, consumerism, and even mortality. Are we consuming medicine like candy? Is this normalization dangerous? Curator: Intriguing perspective. Looking closely, the pills themselves are arranged with an almost mathematical precision. Each "petit four" presents a distinct color palette and structural design. Notice how the outer frame is a colorful ball pattern which appears to trap the “treats” presented inside. Editor: The title drips with irony given the context— "Petit Fours," small, delicate confectionery served at the end of lavish meals. This choice cleverly contrasts the decadence of consumption with what is, in essence, a potentially toxic remedy. Curator: Indeed. Appropriation and Pop Art sensibilities are at play, challenging our perception of everyday objects, while highlighting the aesthetics found within repetition and unexpected combinations. Editor: Beyond the surface, the artwork confronts a deeper narrative about how we process pleasure, relief, and the often-bitter pills we must swallow to navigate modern life. Curator: Considering Benes' body of work often played with mortality, and personal experience, it’s an open question whether these pieces can be interpreted as commentary on treatment regimes during that period. Food for thought indeed. Editor: Yes. It leaves one to consider if "Petit Fours" prompts viewers to question our complicated relationships with healing, artificiality, and societal desires in art.