In works by Brussels based Matteo Ingrao, everything from bubble wraps to shower handles have been made from human body parts—silicone moulded to resemble human parts. These terrifying sculptures request people to think about the impact that these consumer goods are having on the human body. They recall how microplastics and carcinogens are present in everyday household items, affecting people’s health without them realizing.
As the world battles overconsumption, the current capitalist state in which goods are being manufactured with increased speed to fuel the large demand that corporations have fanned, Ingrao’s pieces become tools to advocate for better health and safety regulations from corporations to protect both its workers and its customers. This is why the work that Matteo Ingrao does is relevant to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of Good Health And Well-Being and Responsible Consumption and Production.
Despite the easy to note connections to mass produced goods, Ingrao admitted in an interview with Vice that he began making his pieces because of his fascination with the human body. “I was captivated by the textures and colours of them. In general I’ve been amazed by the wrinkles, folds, fingerprints – all those beautiful details. Looked at close up, hands can resemble dry landscapes or maps dotted by rivers. We’re like a little world in ourselves,” said Ingrao. Here, Ingrao is using the human body as a symbol of the natural world, making his pieces a metaphor for today’s state of the natural world that lies in contention with human consumption.
Matteo Ingrao’s body horror sculptures serve as a striking commentary on the effects of human consumption on the body and the environment. His sculptures call for stricter health and safety regulations from corporations. Ingrao’s fascination with the textures and details of the human body further turns his work into a metaphor for the deteriorating natural world, revealing the conflict between overconsumption and environmental preservation. Through his unique blend of body horror and consumer critique, Ingrao prompts viewers to reconsider the relationship between the body, consumption and the environment.
Find out more about body horror sculptures and other pieces by Matteo Ingrao on his website www.matteoingrao.com or Instagram @matteoingrao.