On January 13, 2007, Chilean born artist Marco Evaristti hosted a dinner party for some of his closest friends. What was on the menu? Why meatballs, of course, cooked by the artist himself using fat extracted from a liposuction procedure he had last year. If you're distraught over not making the guest list, no worries. According to The Electric New Paper News, some of the leftovers are being canned and sold for about $4000.00 a pop. And if you find one on e-bay listed for as much, you may want to grab it. One collector recently paid just under 50K for two servings of the "delicacy."

Now, I'm all for gunshot victims saving bullets, and mothers hanging on to their children's baby teeth. But cooking with your own bodily fluids, congealed fluids rather, is in my opinion not unlike taking a swim in a septic tank when you own your own pool. And, yes, even if it's done in the name of "art." Polpette al grasso di Marco, to fry in his own fat, is the title and loose translation of Evaristti's latest course/piece. According to the artist's website, "the work of art will be open for interpretations of such different nature as cannibalism, sacrament and blasphemy." Although his devout followers draw a connection to previous works by Piero Manzoni and Andy Warhol, two artists I hugely admire, I simply don't see it. In truth, out of principle, I won't even look.

It should not go unmentioned that Evaristti was known for his "shock-art" long before turning on the stove. His previous exhibits have included paintings with blood gathered at traffic accidents and suicide bombings in Israel, goldfish in blenders (where guests were invited to press the green button), and his own sperm. One installation even included, "rats running around on the floor of a gallery on top of campaign posters for a Danish immigrant-hostile and presently reigning coalition-member political party." The rats that managed to survive were, "done away with by rifle shots." Lovely, no?

Evaristti's website also states that "comment on the growing industry of cosmetic surgery lies within this [latest] work of art. This takes place in the confrontation between different matters of morality evoked by the piece of art. On one side stands the part of the work where Evaristti eats the meal. This part points to cannibalism, a way of conduct that for very clear reasons have been prohibited. However, beforehand lies the event that rends possible the preparation of such a meal: the liposuction. And with it, the science that has made it its focal point to withdraw unwanted fat from the body as well as other beauty enhancing alterations. This self-inflicted change of the looks, that alone stems from a wish for outer beauty, is pure blasphemy. Isn't God the highest of truth and beauty and who are we to question his dispositions?"

"Evaristti says: 'eat me, I am art, and the art devouring public will finally be satisfied.'"

Sorry, Marco. But this art lover still won't bite.