AFTERTASTE

Aftertaste is an ongoing exploration of childhood memory, emotional residue, and the artificial rituals that shape our relationships to food, body, and self-worth. These images examine processed foods—Twinkies, Pop-Tarts, Wonder Bread—not as indulgences, but as cultural artifacts.

Engineered to be shelf-stable, perfectly uniform, and endlessly desirable, these foods exist in a paradox: they are built to last, yet instantly disposable. They are manufactured for mass craving, yet often eaten in solitude. For many—myself included—their sweetness is inseparable from shame. A residue that lingers long after the final bite. An aftertaste.

Through physical interventions, I preserve these objects not as they were meant to be consumed, but as they have been remembered. Each specimen becomes less about food and more about impression. Memory isn't accurate. It's smeared. Sugared. Distorted.

By treating these everyday objects with reverence and forensic scrutiny, Aftertaste asks: what are we trying to preserve when we hold on to nostalgia? And what do we lose when we try to make a moment last forever?

PRINT INFORMATION

Limited edition 15 x 15 inch prints are available starting at $500 (edition of 5 + 2 artist proofs).

Archival pigment ink printed on Canson Infinity Platine Fibre Rag.

A limited run of contact sheets will also be offered in an edition of 25, priced at $85—perfect for collectors seeking an alternate view of the project.

For inquiries, availability, and purchase details, please email me at info@benjaminflythe.com.