All that glitters

2026, oil on linen 86.3 x 86.3 cm

This work exposes the paradox of luxury. Upon melting, the handbag no longer fulfils its practical purpose, yet its greatest source of value remains: the brand itself. By removing its utility, the work exposes the bag’s true function: it was never meant to carry possessions. It exists to embody status, scarcity and aspiration.

In its original form, the bag was already perceived as something closer to an artwork than a useable everyday object. The apparent destruction is, in fact, a revelation. Now, its uniqueness distinguishes it from its massproduced siblings, making it even more desirable.

What was lost was merely the excuse for its existence; what remains is the thing that made it valuable all along.