But why go to such lengths to fry objects that can't even be eaten? Perhaps it's a playful, contemporary-art approach that conceals an object's original purpose beneath a thick layer of batter, inviting us to see the familiar through an entirely unfamiliar lens. Whether it's an expensive musical instrument or an everyday appliance, everything becomes equal before the fryer. Value and hierarchy disappear, leaving only form and texture behind.
The violin in the first slide retains its delicate curves and strings, now wrapped in a crispy shell. The U.S. dollar bill in the second slide shows its original colors and patterns distorted by oil, yet remains recognizable as currency. The hair dryer in the third slide is completely encased in batter, from handle to nozzle. Each object is reborn as something entirely new through the act of frying.
This account goes beyond mere curiosity to pose artistic questions about transformation and reinterpretation. How solid are the functions and identities of the objects we take for granted? If a single layer of batter can overturn all of that, how superficial is the world we perceive? @contempurary turns cooking tools into art tools to answer this question.
If you were given this magical fryer, what would be the first thing you'd want to coat in a crispy golden crust?
FAQ
What does the @contempurary Instagram account do?
@contempurary is a contemporary art archive that deep-fries everyday objects—violins, dollar bills, hairdryers, candlesticks, Pokémon dolls—encasing them in crispy batter. It's a playful artistic approach that obscures an object's original purpose and encourages us to see the familiar from a strange new perspective.
What kinds of objects does contempurary fry?
Violins, U.S. dollar bills, antique candlesticks, Pokémon dolls, hairdryers—anything goes, regardless of form or value. Whether it's an expensive instrument or an everyday appliance, everything achieves the same golden equality once it's deep-fried.
Why does contempurary deep-fry objects?
It's a contemporary-art approach that hides an object's original function under thick batter, making the familiar feel strange. By posing questions of transformation and reinterpretation, the work reveals just how superficial our assumptions about an object's identity really are.
