All images © Hyun Jung Jun, shared with permission
We’re excited to share a Colossal-curated project debuting April 11 at The Other Art Fair Chicago. On opening night, usher in spring with a magical edible installation by Chicago-based artist Hyun Jung Jun of Dream Cake Test Kitchen.
In “Dreamscape,” sweet meringues float amid an ethereal garden, with delicate drawings airbrushed on site. Jun is known for sculptural pastries evocative of mountains, streams, and birds, which she refers to as “landscapes of joy.” Meant to be shared among friends, the desserts are inherently ephemeral, becoming an epicurean reminder to savor moments of beauty and pleasure. Viewers are invited to eat the meringues throughout the evening, transforming “Dreamscape” from one diaphanous scene into another.
Often working with domestic materials like candles and baked goods, Jun began Dream Cake Test Kitchen in 2020 as way to gather with small groups of friends when the world shut down. Today, the artist has fully incorporated the pastry project into her practice, expanding how viewers engage with her work as she invokes all five senses—she’s known to rely on smell or sound to determine when a pastry is ready to be removed from the oven rather than a timer.
Equally interested in flavor profiles as she is the final sculptural forms, Jun gravitates toward savory elements like black sesame, green pea, roasted tomato, and Chinese five spice that she pairs with lush buttercream piping and edible flowers. While her ingredients can be unconventional, her works are elegant and inviting, inspiring communal experiences of joy: sharing a meal, after all, remains one of the great, enduring means of human connection.
Join Jun and Colossal on April 11 at The Other Art Fair, which runs through April 14 at Artifact Events in Ravenswood. Use the code COLOSSAL20 at checkout for 20% off tickets. Explore more from Dream Cake Test Kitchen on Instagram.
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