Molten Ambergris 2020

Blown glass, carbonized meat, carbonized fat, carbonized newspaper, carbonized fast food in Willis ReadingRoom display case                                                         Dimensions Variable

Thinking of ambergris as something that can be consumed but difficult to digest, Salstrom took consumables in his life that might also be difficult to digest: the news (newspaper), fast food, carbonized meat and fat, chicken bones, and embedded them into molten glass to make blubbery mounds. Some of the works are displayed elevated, as if they are floating, cloud-like. This is in reference to the valuable ambergris often nicknamed ‘Floating Gold’.