Ben Mullen
b. 1983, Ireland
This sculptural installation is composed of 76.3kg of plain white flour (the exact weight of the artist’s body), with 1,068,560kj of potential energy. The mound of flour acts as a deposit for the sun’s energy. These calculations inform another reading of the work – as a system of energy with a complex life cycle, in transition. We become aware that our relationship to the world is dependant upon the energy of the sun, and we are reminded that it is the sun’s energy that produced the wheat that was milled into the flour. The presence of flour in the gallery draws attention to the plethora of quality bakers in the city of Limerick and to the numerous mill buildings.
(Text: e v+ a – matters catalogue, 2010)
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