MIAMI GRILLS - TOPOGRAPHIES OF TASTE

THIS CUSTOM SET OF GRILLS IS A FOCAL POINT OF MY SERIES, TOPOGRAPHIES OF TASTE. THE BROADER PROJECT MAPS THE FOUR REGIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHERE MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY RESIDES. EACH PIECE IS DESIGNED TO REFLECT THE SPECIFIC, LOCALIZED STYLE OF GRILLS POPULAR IN THAT AREA. THIS PARTICULAR SET REPRESENTS MY HOMETOWN OF MIAMI, ADOPTING THE SOLID, HIGH-POLISH AESTHETIC OF THE CITY'S GRILL CULTURE. I CHOSE THE MOUTH AS THE SITE FOR THIS EXPLORATION BECAUSE OF THE INHERENT INTIMACY OF DENTAL JEWELRY. GRILLS DICTATE A PRECISE, BESPOKE FIT TO THE INDIVIDUAL WEARER'S BODY, MAKING THEM A HIGHLY PERSONAL MEDIUM FOR REPRESENTING CLOSE FAMILIAL TIES AND GEOGRAPHIC ROOTS. THE FABRICATION IS ROOTED DIRECTLY IN THE LOST-WAX CASTING PROCESS. I STARTED BY CREATING A PLASTER MOLD OF MY OWN TEETH, THEN HAND-SCULPTED THE INITIAL DESIGN IN WAX DIRECTLY OVER THE MODEL TO GUARANTEE AN EXACT FIT. THE WAX WAS THEN CAST INTO SOLID STERLING SILVER AND LASTLY HAND-POLISHED.