Johannesburg, 27 February 2025 – Known for her striking black-and-white aesthetic, artist Cow Mash (Kgaogelo Mothepa Mashilo) has taken on an unexpected challenge: sculpting with butter. In a first for South Africa, she has unveiled a Stork butter spread sculpture, pushing the boundaries of both food and fine art.
WATCH the story behind the project here:
For an artist who typically works in bold, graphic contrasts, adapting to a soft, malleable material was no small feat. “I had to rethink everything—colour, texture, even temperature control,” she says. “How do you shape something that’s meant to be eaten? And how do you balance its form with its function?”
The result is a bowl-like structure, rich with symbolism. In many African homes, bowls represent community and shared meals, central to gatherings like Mekete, where food becomes a way of honouring tradition. But here, the usual act of preservation in art is flipped—this is a piece designed to be consumed.
“At first, the idea of people eating my artwork was unsettling,” she admits. “We’re conditioned to think of art as untouchable—something you admire from a distance. But knowing it would be broken down and enjoyed gave it a new kind of meaning. It became less about permanence and more about experience.”
The sculpture was revealed at an intimate showcase, where attendees could witness this unconventional fusion of art and food firsthand. As the piece was gradually dismantled, it became clear that its essence wasn’t just in its form, but in the act of coming together to share it—a fleeting, but powerful moment of connection.
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