Victoria McIntosh’s Sitting Pretty: The Desserts of Discontent takes inspiration from Mrs Beeton’s 1861 Guide to Cookery and Household Management. Padded, painted, and adorned with pearls, these objects that once told stories of aspiration and control have been reimagined to tell a tale of self perception, and body image.

Desserts of Discontent, 2023-2024, Victoria McIntosh. Courtesy of the artist. Photo Justin Spiers.