"The Devouring Gesture: Transformation Through Consumption"
In "Consumption", David Hochbaum presents a compelling exploration of desire, creation, and transformation through the act of biting into a house. This simple yet profound gesture transforms the house—long a central symbol in Hochbaum’s work—from a passive structure into something intimate, vulnerable, and open to interpretation. The house, once a place of refuge or stability, becomes an object to be consumed, absorbed, and ultimately internalized. This act resonates on both personal and cultural levels, exploring what it means to dismantle and rebuild the very structures that sustain us.
Flood
Goodbye Sweet Dreams
Before this moment of consumption became central to the series, Hochbaum's work featured figures sitting on top of or climbing into the houses, symbolizing a more distant relationship between the figure and the house. In these earlier works, the figures seemed contemplative, waiting, or even longing. The house remained external—something to be entered or examined from the outside. But as Hochbaum zoomed in on the act of biting, the house became not just a structure to explore but something to be absorbed, taken in, and transformed through the act of consumption.
Ouroboros
Disambiguation through Consumption
Disambiguation through Consumption and Ouroboros represent pivotal moments in this shift. In Ouroboros, the figures begin to consume the house in a way that mirrors the mythological symbol of the snake eating its own tail, a visual metaphor for cycles of creation and destruction. The figures do not merely destroy the house; they reclaim it, internalizing the structure, and thus transforming both the house and themselves in the process. The act of biting represents a moment of intense engagement, where memory, identity, and place are devoured, and their meanings altered forever.
Following these works, Hochbaum produced a 20-piece numbered edition within the Consumption series, each piece smaller and more focused on the moment of consumption itself. These works zoom in on the act of biting, eliminating much of the background to allow the viewer to contemplate the intensity of the gesture. Notably, each edition in this series was uniquely worked on, with individual touches added by hand. This ensures that no two prints are exactly alike, a characteristic that Hochbaum maintains across all his limited editions, emphasizing the uniqueness of each piece within a series. This edition marked a significant shift toward a more intimate exploration of the symbolic act of consumption, emphasizing the cyclical nature of creation and destruction.
Hochbaum's exploration of this theme intensifies in smaller works like Troublemaker, Anka, and The Silent Empire, where the figures’ interaction with the house takes on a more rebellious and assertive energy. In Troublemaker, the figure wears a black-and-white crown
positioned on one side of her head. The shadow of the crown mimics the shape of horns, creating an illusion of mischief and defiance. The figure, caught in the act of biting into the house, suggests a challenge to the very stability that the house represents. The title Troublemaker is fitting, as the figure disrupts the traditional notion of the house as a safe, untouchable structure, turning it into something to be confronted, consumed, and transformed. The horns, subtle but significant, lend a rebellious air to the figure, making her both a creator and a destroyer.
Troublemaker
Anka
In Anka, the combination of vivid color and stark composition reflects an abstract nod to expressionism. The use of bold yellow blocks juxtaposed with the monochromatic figure biting into the house adds an energetic tension to the work. The contrast between the delicate, detailed figure and the color elements introduces a dialogue between formality and abstraction, emphasizing the visceral nature of consumption. The pink hues around the figure suggest an aura of internalization, further drawing attention to the act of devouring the familiar.
Similarly, in The Silent Empire, the figure engages with the house in a moment of profound contemplation and defiance.
The intricate, almost architectural headpiece worn by the figure reflects a regal, yet decaying empire—silent, fading, and waiting to be consumed. As with Troublemaker, the house becomes a symbol of both authority and fragility, something to be devoured and understood. The elaborate headpiece, which echoes the grandeur of past civilizations, adds a layer of historical weight to the scene. The figure, with her regal yet distant expression, embodies a fading power that must now be reclaimed through the act of consumption. The house, once a symbol of authority, is now fragile, ready to be dismantled and internalized by the figure who holds it.
The Silent Empire
In Inheritance, the act of holding the house before the bite is a moment suspended in time, capturing the tension between preservation and transformation. A young girl’s figure is poised, almost reverent, as though the house represents more than just a structure—it is a repository of memories, histories, and legacies. The muted, minimalist background strips away distraction, allowing the viewer to focus on the intimate act that is about to unfold. There is a quiet sense of ritual here, where the bite signifies not just consumption but the internalization of the past, making it a part of one’s own identity. Inheritance explores the delicate balance between what we inherit and what we must inevitably make our own, inviting reflection on the weight of legacy and the personal act of reclamation.
Inheritance
Hochbaum’s creative process is as spontaneous as the moments he captures. Often, the houses are small, pre-built models sourced from hobby shops during his travels. These HO-scale structures serve as familiar yet fragile objects, ready to be transformed through the figure’s engagement with them. The process of collecting these houses becomes part of the ritual of creation, as each house is chosen for its unique charm and potential to become more than just a prop—it becomes a symbol, a vessel for meaning.
His photographs of friends, acquaintances, or even spontaneous subjects holding, climbing into, or biting the houses create a fluid, organic connection between the model and the object. While many shoots are carefully planned, others, like the one that produced Inheritance, happen in the moment. This particular image was captured the morning after a gallery show, demonstrating how the flow of Hochbaum’s creative life often intersects with the spontaneous energy of his environment. The blend of intentionality and spontaneity in his process allows for a rich authenticity to emerge in each piece.
It is this fluidity, this sense of play, that gives the Consumption series its vitality. Hochbaum’s practice of integrating spontaneous shoots and carefully chosen objects reflects his ability to blend careful preparation with the freedom of improvisation. Through these gestures, he invites the viewer to reflect on their own relationship with the symbols that define them, and to contemplate the transformative power of consumption.