Wendy Kveck has never been accused of avoiding tough subjects. Her previous art has juxtaposed actual food (marshmallow topping) and food imagery (deli meats) with renderings of archetypal women in provocative ways. While this work is diverse, because of its grotesque elements it is more immediately jarring than the work currently under construction in the Cosmopolitan’s P3 residency space. This is entirely intentional. “I wanted the experience to be inviting to tourists who are perhaps enjoying a different side of excess,” Kveck explains.

Inspired by Greek caryatids (architectural columns in the form of women) Kveck’s columns will be more abstract, merging cake-like decoration with elements of the female form to treat general themes like love, friendship, partying and romance. Yet her approach to the project, which invites passersby to decorate her pieces alongside her and other interactive elements—a photo album with related images, a soundtrack that’s an abstracted musical mashup of six local women in conversation on related topics—means there’s no escaping the mixed feelings participants are likely to take away.

While Kveck points to these extras as “layering the local experience with the tourist,” it’s clear her intention to “portray the ephemeral” cannot mean either a forkful of wedding or cheesecake. The columns will mix layers of female archetypes: bachelorette, bride, stripper, princess, over-indulger and over-indulged. Whether tourist or resident, these columns will be a mirror image not entirely flattering or forgettable.