Lick and Lather 1993

Janine Antoni made these fourteen busts using two very different materials: chocolate and soap. The chocolate busts were made by “licking” and the soap busts by “lathering.” Antoni meticulously altered the form of these objects through these repetitive actions of the tongue and hand. This unique approach to sculpture highlights the inherent qualities of the materials, and shows the labor involved in the production process. In licking the chocolate, Antoni explores its sensuality as something we consume and desire, where as soap is a material that we use to clean and purify. In "Lick and Lather", Antoni challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft by blurring the boundaries between traditional art materials and everyday life. She transforms ordinary substances into art objects, inviting us to consider the social and cultural significance embedded within the materials themselves.