Twinkie Dinner Party
Performance
2024

The star of this performance is the Twinkie. Given the coveted title of super-processed food (a step above mere processed food), the Twinkie was invented in 1930 and, at the time, considered an innovative contribution to its industry. According to urban legend, the Twinkie is an immortal food, paradoxically aligning it with both the sublime and the repulsive. The Twinkie is visually identifiable across the globe, even though it is not internationally available, showing its strength as a vehicle for storytelling.

This piece follows the story of several Twinkies on their journey to transform their situation as a food for the lower class to a delicacy cherished by the most powerful people on the planet.

The piece is a collaborative performance between the artist, the participants, and the Twinkies. The participants are invited to sit around a white-clothed table and take part in a multi-course fine dining experience. Throughout the performance, the participants will engage with a Twinkie imposter, a fancy Twinkie, a Twinkie metamorphosis, and a Twinkie just trying its best to fit into a part of society to which it currently does not belong. Who will come out on top? Who will survive this trial of public opinion? Can the Twinkie convince (or deceive) the participants into reevaluating their preconceptions and embrace it as a part of your diet, not as a symbol of gluttony or poverty, but as a delicacy?

Hailey Becker

Work

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