"Sweet!" Keyring

• Edge-to-edge printed insert
• Solid steel frame
• Sturdy ring fastener

Sweet! is a vivid and imaginative re-interpretation of a classic dental illustration, where the clinical meets the whimsical in a deliciously surreal fusion of art and candy. The central focus of the painting is a worn molar, complete with roots, crevices, and all the intricate details of dental anatomy, but this time, the tooth is formed entirely from melting gummy sweets. The traditional textbook lines of the molar have been replaced by a carefully sculpted collage of brightly coloured gummies—reds, yellows, and blues—that have melted together to create the recognizable form of the tooth.

Instead of the clean, crisp black outlines of a scientific drawing, the molar now appears soft and almost gooey, as if it were a candy that has slowly morphed into a shape reminiscent of the real thing. The gummy candies, with their slightly translucent and glossy surfaces, ooze into each other, their edges blending and melting, creating a sense of fluidity and organic growth. Some pieces of candy maintain their shape, while others appear to have melted and dripped, forming the subtle contours of the molar’s root and crown. The texture of the gummies is a tactile experience; you can almost imagine the sweetness and stickiness of the candy, creating a contrast to the clinical precision one might expect from a dental illustration.

The roots of the molar are constructed from a mix of gummies, their surfaces shiny and sugar-coated in places, some glistening with a wet sheen while others are dusted in granulated sugar, adding texture and dimension to the piece. The entire molar shape feels as if it is both solid and fluid, frozen in time but still alive with the impression that it could melt away at any moment. This sense of impermanence brings a playful tension to the otherwise rigid idea of dental health.

The background is equally bold, coated in the same vibrant, melting gummies in shades of red, yellow, and blue. The colours swirl and blend together like a sugary, candy-coated nebula, surrounding the molar and providing a sense of unity between the candy and the setting. The gummy colours in the background mirror the ones used in the tooth itself, creating a harmonious flow between the central object and the surrounding space. Some pieces of candy appear to have pooled into little mounds, while others seem to have been scattered around the molar, their soft edges blending seamlessly into the backdrop.

The painting’s whimsical composition takes the viewer beyond the clinical world of dentistry and into a world of indulgence and playfulness, blurring the lines between science and art, health and pleasure. The title, Sweet!, perfectly captures the paradox at the heart of the piece—the tooth is both a symbol of dental care and a sugary treat, celebrating the joys and contradictions of sweetness. The melting, almost organic quality of the candy adds an element of fluidity and impermanence, suggesting that even our healthiest habits are at the mercy of temptation and indulgence, making this piece both a visual delight and a cheeky commentary on the sweet nature of life itself.