Wafaa Bilal Custom Art Installation Lollipops
Edible artwork for MCA Chicago's "Indulge Me" exhibition
Challenge: Collaborate with internationally acclaimed artist Wafaa Bilal to create custom lollipops for his exhibition "Indulge Me" at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, translating his conceptual vision into an edible art piece that would serve as both artwork and museum store item.
Solution: Full-service production collaboration, working with the artist's team to execute custom lollipop casting and deliver handcrafted pieces that aligned with Bilal's artistic practice exploring themes of cultural consumption and political commentary.
Results: Successfully delivered 300 translucent strawberry lemonade lollipops, chosen for their vibrant look and refreshing flavor that echoed the exhibition's themes of consumption and indulgence, extending the artist's conceptual work beyond the gallery walls.
THE ARTIST & EXHIBITION
Wafaa Bilal is an Iraqi-American multimedia artist and Associate Arts Professor at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, known internationally for provocative interactive works exploring themes of war, displacement, and cultural identity. He's best known for his 2007 installation Domestic Tension, where he lived in a gallery for 30 days while internet users could remotely shoot him with paintballs—a work The Chicago Tribune called "one of the sharpest works of political art to be seen in a long time," naming him 2008 Artist of the Year.
His exhibition "Indulge Me" at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago explores cultural cannibalism—how culture (particularly the culture of the other) can be used, disassembled, and consumed. The custom lollipops were designed to embody this theme, serving as both artwork and consumable object for the exhibition's performance component.
THE CREATIVE COLLABORATION
Design & Development Process:
- Artist-Led Vision: Bilal and his team developed detailed 3D models and specifications for the sculptural lollipop design
- Technical Collaboration: Worked closely with the artist's vision to translate complex sculptural forms into food-grade production requirements
- Iterative Refinement: Multiple test castings to perfect the detailed sculptural form, addressing technical challenges around intricate facial features
- Color & Flavor Alignment: Translucent strawberry lemonade flavor chosen to complement the visual design and exhibition themes
Production Specifications:
- Quantity: 300 custom lollipops for exhibition performance
- Timeline: Tight 3-week production window to meet exhibition deadline
- Custom Elements: Bespoke lollipop sticks designed specifically for the project
- Quality Standards: Museum-quality packaging designed to balance protection with visual impact for both art presentation and retail sale
SOLVING COMPLEX PROJECT CHALLENGES
| Museum Exhibition Challenge | What They Needed | How Sparko Sweets Delivered |
|---|---|---|
| Artistic authenticity | Edible artwork aligned with conceptual practice | Close collaboration with artist's vision |
| Technical execution | Complex 3D sculptural forms in candy | Precision casting techniques with specialized tooling |
| Tight deadlines | Exhibition-ready delivery on specific date | Streamlined production workflow for efficiency |
| Dual functionality | Art object AND museum store product | Professional presentation suitable for both contexts |
THE SWEET SUCCESS
- Delivered on Time for Performance: Arrived at MCA Chicago by August 22, 2025 deadline, ensuring zero stress for museum staff and seamless integration with exhibition schedule
- Coordinated Seamlessly Across Teams: Managed communication between Bilal's studio and MCA production team—eliminating friction for curators and allowing them to focus on the artistic vision
- Technical Execution: Successfully cast complex sculptural details, demonstrating capability for intricate custom production work
- Conceptual Integration: Lollipops functioned as true extensions of Bilal's artistic practice, embodying themes of consumption and cultural appropriation in edible form
DISCOVER WAFAA BILAL'S WORK
Wafaa Bilal continues to create powerful works addressing cultural destruction and political commentary, including his ongoing "168:01" project, which helps rebuild libraries destroyed in Iraq by inviting audiences to donate books.
- Website: wafaabilal.com
- Instagram: @wafaabilal
- Current Exhibition: "Indulge Me" at Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
- Notable Projects: Domestic Tension, 3rdi, 168:01, ...and Counting
Whether you're curating a museum exhibition or activating a brand launch, Sparko Sweets turns vision into edible art. Let's craft something extraordinary together.
