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Emma Bugg’s Big Mac jewellery is an ongoing project, crafted with a fresh burger every five years to examine the phenomenon of non-decomposition in fast food. The next iteration is set for 2025, continuing from the initial piece created in 2015. The idea was sparked after Bugg, typically working with concrete and silver, attended a health retreat in 2015. During the retreat, she heard claims that some fast-food burgers can remain unchanged for years if left uneaten.
 

Curious and a bit skeptical, Bugg decided to test this theory by purchasing a Big Mac through a drive-through and examining its longevity. As she explained, “I got back home and wanted to see if it were true because I couldn't quite fathom it.” The unchanged state of her first burger brooch inspired her to continue this experiment, transforming fast food into a work of art that questions our food systems and what we consume. 

In 2024, Emma had two more fast food pieces in this series selected as finalists in the prestigious Woollahra Small Sculpture prize. These pieces are NUGBOT earrings and Fries with That necklace. (see image below)
The earrings are interactive, and Nugbot is activated when the wearer touches an NFC enabled mobile device to awaken a talking chicken nugget chat bot.