Extravagance, luxury, and refinement are represented as an oversized cupcake made from noble, durable materials. The colourful jewels serving as toppings evoke the ostentatious visual fracture of sweet glazes adorned with candies and other confections typically found on these comforting little cakes.
This artwork creates a paradox between the ephemerality of the cupcake and the durability of bronze and between richness and social status. It raises, not without a certain irony, notions of opulence, consumption, and overabundance.
In a related narrative, King Midas sits in his treasure room, counting his gold coins and wishing for more. He then receives a visit from Silenus, who offers him the ability to turn everything he touches into gold. Enchanted by his new gift, the king roams the halls of his castle, turning everything to gold. However, his joy turns to despair when he tries to eat, only to find that his food has turned to gold and become unpalatable.
