The show wraps up two-year residency of Polish emerging artist Horacy Muszyński at the prestigious De Ateliers in Amsterdam (Netherlands). Muszyński was allegedly invited by the Dutch firm Bio-Korf to create an exhibition telling the history of the company’s flag research project, its corporate development and the titular product “Golden Drop”. The show was a collaboration with TRAFO Center for Contemporary Art in Szczecin.
In his characteristic way, Horacy Muszyński blurs the line between truth and lie, between what is real and what is fake. The story, told in a corporate and frequently funny newspeak, under the guise of smiling capitalism, holds a terrifying resonance in the contemporary reality. In the uncompromising show, the artist takes into consideration the situation of Polish seasonal workers as well as a number of issues related to ecology which is frequently nothing more but greenwashing.
The decline in bee population, genetically modified plants (which, according to the renowned Polish chef Magda Gessler, “an insect would not sit on”) and climate crisis forced the Dutch company to look for alternative ways to obtain honey. In the 1980s, Hendrik van den Berg discovered a method of producing synthetic “liquid gold” that seemed a perfect solution to the global challenges. Founded to develop the product, Bio-Korf have spent years improving the production process. Their efforts required huge financial resources and involved a number of outstanding Dutch scientists. A special program was established with research subjects paid in exchange for their participation in the project. The final product, named Salivahoney, was indistinguishable from its bee counterpart – it tasted almost identical to honey. As its main ingredient was human saliva, Bio-Korf have made various attempts to convince potential customers to buy the product.
The exhibition premiered at De Ateliers in Amsterdam. TRAFO Center for Contemporary Art will show an extended version of the project.