Peckish

Maya Hilbert


Peckish by Maya Hilbert is a multimedia video piece that explores the effects of living under a capitalist society, and the line between art and work created under such a structure. The playful video explores the boundaries with a recipe using bread, a symbol of life, as a metaphor. As the bread is fed ingredients such as flour and water to come together, it proofs, is kneaded, shaped, and baked. Through a combination of food and supermarket imagery, Peckish shows us how to make art.

In an economic and political system where free and private enterprise and ownership exists, it drives its participants to be more competitive, and to play along within social hierarchy. This mentality created by the hunger to climb up the ladder and to be recognized as a sufficient, working cog in society creates an intersection between art and work for the artist. However, art must be protected and separated from the political and financial expectations of capitalism. While the assembly line tries to maximize efficiency, the products that it creates lack substance. Art is not simply about making supply to meet demand.