Fanny Varjo
About the artwork
A person dips a precious bezoar stone into their wine, waiting for it to sweat or change color. Next, they dip a fossilized shark tooth into their food and pause to wait for a reaction. They particularly collect Maltese fossilized shark teeth (glossopetrae), as they are believed to have special magical powers against poisons.
From the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, poisoning food or drink was the easiest way to eliminate an enemy or an undesirable person. Courts had tasters who tested the safety of food. In addition to tasters, it was believed that gemstones were good at detecting poisons. Gemstone pendants were considered essential and highly effective poison detectors, as well as protection against the evil eye. Bezoars were the most valuable. They weren’t actually gemstones but rather clumps of hair or fur that had become compacted into stone inside an animal’s stomach.
About the artist
Fanny Varjo (b.1995) creates installations consisting of corporeal works that combine many materials such as wood, dyed hair, metal and glass. She is fascinated by creating tension by combining cute and gross elements in her works. The subjects of the work are currently rising from historical stories and myths. The themes may be contradictory, but there is always humour and joy included in the sculptures.
