New York-based contemporary artist Tomokazu Matsuyama has collaborated with Japanese snack company Yaokin to create a luxury version of the popular snack Umaibo, called "Umaibo Gendai Bijutsu Aji" (Contemporary Art Flavor). It will be sold for $670 . Normally priced at just $0.10, Umaibo is a beloved snack among children in Japan.
Matsuyama aims to question society by asking, "Can we create new value by applying the concept of art to a widely loved product?"
Designed as a collectible art piece, the snack is sealed in a transparent acrylic box and is not meant to be opened. Inside is a regular Umaibo snack, but the package features original line art drawn by Matsuyama. He explains his vision: "I want to capture the story of Umaibo, which has become a common cultural touchstone, as if preserving it like a fossil."
Only 50 pieces will be available for purchase at the Azabudai Hills Gallery shop during Matsuyama’s solo exhibition starting on March 8. Buyers must have a ticket to the exhibition to purchase the limited-edition snack.
Viewer Comments:
I wonder if it will actually sell out.
Honestly, “contemporary art flavor” doesn’t sound very appetizing.
Could its value increase in the future?
Comment