Taxonomy of the Cornflake
An oologist made collections of eggs in an attempt to reveal the best examples of morphological patterns, mutations and colourings. Entomologysts or lepidopterists, in order to trace the origin of the species, orchestrate and organise insects or butterflies into family groups, looking for evolutionary links that reveal the ancestry of their subjects.
This collection reflects these same ambitions and yet the species is special, it is not diminished by the intrusion of the collector, it will not become extinct while millions of tons of specimens are created daily in automated processes.
Each specimen is fragile and unique, it occupies the same space as the butterfly and is classified to show the variety of textures, sizes, markings and shapes that are specific to its class.
This piece, on show at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2018 from 12th June to 19th August, has now been sold. However the Taxonomy continues and additional selections are available to purchase on request or can be seen at Colorfactory New York.
BBC Podcast
A BBC podcast on the collection is available here. BBC Boring Talks, #24 The Taxonomy of Cornflakes
Press Articles
2018 | Metro 'Cereal-ist art of cornflakes' |
2018 | The Daily Mail 'Artist's collection of cornflakes is on show at the Royal Academy ' |
2018 | The Express 'Flakiest Royal Academy art prize contender ever?' |
2018 | The Sun 'Flake News! Artist’s cerealist work made entirely of CORNFLAKES sells for £900 at a top gallery' |
2018 | The Oxford Mail 'Cornflake art chosen for Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition' |
Other selections, from the Taxonomy can seen at the Mmuseumm, New York and are held in other private collections. Reviews from the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and the Observer.


