Cremeschnitte is an installation composed of multiple sculptures made from readymade objects and pastry ingredients.

Found all over Eastern Europe, with slight variations known as krémes, kremówka, cremșnit, crempita, krempita, and kremšnita - cremeschnitte is a popular dessert since its debut in the late 19th century. The obsession with it transcends borders as well as the constraints of ethnic or social groups.

In contrast to its many names, cremeschnitte is made from the most common ingredients - flour, sugar, egg, butter - and has the most recognizable appearance. By naming it in their own languages, people across different countries baptised it and integrated it into their local cultures. 

This exhibition explores the notion that language, an encrypted code system, often unwittingly serves as a means to distinguish one group of people from another. It examines the naming of cremeschnitte as a shibboleth for identification, representing at the same time inclusion and exclusion.

By deconstructing cremeschnitte and withholding its name, the installation reassembles its meanings - no longer a singular dessert, but a cultural structure layered with collective and personal history - inviting viewers to reflect on how shared traditions are continually remade through the personal, the political, and the material.




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