Sweet Tea
April Zhang
2013
Deceptively simple on the surface, Zhang’s sculpture is in reality a multilayered entry point for a discussion of the impact of diabetes. Accompanying the work is a fictional news story about the economic cost to Wonderland of the disease, and the Queen of Hearts’ subsequent banning of sugar in favor of manufactured substitutes. Coated with a layer of Splenda, her pristine work offers a visual contrast to the reality of how the overconsumption of sugar-laden foods can be toxic to our health.