Artist Statement

Following on from Emma's Big Mac brooch series, these chicken nugget earrings with NFC tags explore an intriuging mix of fashion, technology, and look at how we connect with everyday objects. While these earrings show the creative side of wearable tech, they also make us think about how we value ideas and engage with what we buy. Essentially, they help us look at bigger cultural and ethical questions through the lens of a nugget. 

In 2024, these chicken nugget earrings reflect a society that loves humor, tech, and consumerism. With NFC technology, wearers can interact with NugBot, an AI chicken nugget chatbot that offers emotional support, philosophical advice, and messages of hope. Just tap your mobile device on the NFC tag to connect with this digital friend, creating a fun link between the real world and the digital one. Phygital, as my friend M@ likes to call it. 
For future generations, these earrings may become important symbols of our time, showing how everyday items can have both tech features and cultural meaning.

They give us a glimpse into the values and creativity of our era, connecting us to the unique factors that shaped early 21st-century life. More than just novelty accessories, they reflect how society looks for emotional support and deep thoughts through new ideas, highlighting our changing relationship with technology.

The "Fries with That" necklace completes this collection and also uses fast food to comment on modern culture through jewellery. Together, these pieces show how everyday items can become meaningful cultural statements. 🍟🐣☮️

These pieces were selected as finalists in the Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize Entry, 2024