Don’t Stare, Dear, You’ll Only Encourage Them

Who needs Hannibal Lecter? Artist Marco Evaristti’s latest project is called Polpette al grasso di Marco, which translates as “meatballs in the fat of Marco,” and that’s just what they are. Using fat suctioned out of his abdomen, Evaristti first sealed the excess flab in cans, then made and devoured a plate of meatballs made with the stuff—all on camera, of course.

Going to physical extremes for art has been done before, of course, from Orlan’s plastic-surgery projects to Chris Burden’s staging of his own shooting, way back in 1971.

But somehow, the yuck factor of eating one’s fat seems way higher. What do you think—commentary on consumption and celebrity culture, or gross-out stunt?