SOCIAL CANDY
Humans are social animals that need to be connected in order to thrive and survive. As members of a society, individuals conform to social groups out of the need to be constantly affiliated to prevent their insecurities from taking over. As a result of this conformity, I struggle to find a sincere and true connection. Relationships are often superficial, sugar-coated, sarcastic even; in a way that is pretentious.
When we feel hunger, we desire a nice, full meal. However, when time or resources are insufficient to satisfy our cravings, the majority of us are more than willing to settle for a snack. Of course, like actual snacks, we suspect none are ultimately as satisfying or as healthy as a true meal. “Social snacking” is a theory proposed by William Kipling Gardner in his book, The Social Outcast, discussing the issue of social isolation. Social Snacking is the reaffirmation of bonds through either tangible or intangible social representations. Thus Social Candy is born as a catalyst for human connectivity, promoting trust and intimacy. In the format of objects and jewelry, I utilize Social Candy as a tool to measure the distance between each relationship. The result is left for the viewer to decide how close they are with one another.
