Photo by Arai Moleri
At first glance, all you see is a decorative plate adorned with a typical Norman Rockwell-esque illustration that could very well be on your grandmother’s wall. Two women are sipping tea and one of them is leaning in toward the other, as if whispering a secret while holding up a hand with two extended fingers. The hand-painted caption reads: “then use your fingers”. You’ve been served one of the many one-liners in the Very Ugly Plates series, and you can be sure some are more graphic. The Polish artist behind the porcelain, which is sourced from flea markets and the far corners of the internet, prefers to stay anonymous, simply going by the initials KM. Yet, the sardonic commentary on the plates comes from a personal place, taken straight from Tinder dates, friends’ stories from nights out, or KM’s own life. What started as a hobby only three months ago has become a small business: the Very Ugly Plates are now sold online for €25 and up. And if you have something dishy in mind, the artist takes custom orders. For a full display, make sure to also check out the 30 newest additions at the artist’s first-ever exhibition at MINI on February 16. We promise, you won’t be able to hold back a chuckle.
Exhibition at MINI – Wine, Food and Cult Movies, Urbanstr. 126, Kreuzberg, Wed-Sun 11-23, see more at www.veryuglyplates.de
