Bagplant
Faux Campaign
This quirky project began during a walk to the grocery store. My creative partner, Ilya Kaner, and I were picking out vegetables when we stumbled upon an unusually shaped eggplant that uncannily resembled a clutch bag. Inspired by this fortuitous discovery, we conceived the idea of an art project centered around its distinctive shape — a series of faux advertisements showcasing the eggplant as a "luxury bag". Our aim was to show how visual context changes the perception of an object.
Ilya's previous works delved into themes of consumerism and the influential role perception plays in shaping reality. His projects such as "Ready to ship" and "Bottled Essence" explore the deceptive allure of luxury and the significance of packaging design in the fragrance industry. "Ceci n'est pas..." highlights the impact of branding and marketing in shaping our perceptions.
Ilya's previous works delved into themes of consumerism and the influential role perception plays in shaping reality. His projects such as "Ready to ship" and "Bottled Essence" explore the deceptive allure of luxury and the significance of packaging design in the fragrance industry. "Ceci n'est pas..." highlights the impact of branding and marketing in shaping our perceptions.
In this project we wanted to show how the transformative power of visual context allows a simple eggplant to transcend its humble origins to become an object of desire. Starting with a series of photographs and posters, we explored how the surroundings could mold our perception of an object. Additionally, we tried to weave our "bagplant" into a fabricated narrative, complete with a "cover story," "editorial photos," and "social media content," creating the illusion of a bona fide product being promoted in a different marketing campaigns.
Backstage
Design
Maria Kaner
Photography