Celebrating the pickle jar at the Thurgau Kunstmuseum

Artist Max Bottini preparing his culinary installation at the Kunstmuseum Keystone

A hymn to the art of pickling, courtesy of artist Max Bottini, can be found at canton Thurgau's Kunstmuseum. And far from being told not to touch, visitors are actively encouraged to taste the exhibits.

The exhibition title, “Eingemachtes”, is a German wordplay, meaning both “pickle” and “getting to the heart of the matter”. Over 400 cooks have given Bottini more than 1,000 jars of pickles, plus the recipes used to make them.

With preserves ranging from sugared fruit, mushrooms in vinegar, to a variety of relishes and chutney, the exhibition represents years of accumulated culinary knowledge.

Visitors who find Bottini’s installation particularly mouth-watering can head to a table in the exhibition room, equipped with cutlery, plates and other utensils, while words flash up on the surrounding walls describing different taste sensations.

By inviting visitors to consume the contents of the exhibition, Bottini is once more demonstrating the importance of interactivity in his work. In 1994 he raised a flock of chickens in natural surroundings, before cooking them and eating them with his audience.

Two years ago he worked with cod, looking at different ways to preserve the fish.

The Eingemachtes exhibition runs at the Kunstmuseum in Ittingen, canton Thurgau until February 25.

swissinfo with agencies