This Anonymous Instagrammer Brilliantly Photoshops Life-Sized Snack Foods

This article was originally published in Dutch on MUNCHIES NL.

A quiet revolution recently took place on Instagram when the account De Snackmuur ("Snack Wall") started posting. The account is a collection of life-sized snacks, living out (and playing a role in) human lives, in places like a playgrounds, construction sites, and monster truck rallies.

To understand what on earth I was looking at, I decided to approach the mysterious Instagrammer, and I got the snack artist to share his insights (though he preferred to stay strictly anonymous).

MUNCHIES: What a great Instagram account. Why do you want to stay anonymous?
Anonymous snack artist: I just don't want the fuss. It is an Instagram account that I use for pictures for fun for myself and others. I don't see why I should link it to my identity.

Well, ok fair enough. Where did you get the idea to dedicate an Instagram account to Dutch snacks?
A friend suggested it to me. I have already been taking these kind of pictures for a few years, out of fascination for Dutch snack bars. These snacks are part of the cultural heritage in my opinion. The names of the snacks are classic: Bami Block, Frikandel XXL, Bereklauw, Kipknots, Mexicano, Grizly Rambo in Rocky Sauce, just to name a few. Where do we get these names?

I used to post the pictures on Facebook, but on Instagram you get a better collection.

Where do you get inspired?
I just think by the snacks. I'll just look for an image that fits, and in this case that was the slide. The best is when it all comes together. And it is best when it's real. The photo with the concrete mixer for example, that's just right both in form and function!

Sometimes I get a new idea when I'm looking for the right picture. So for example, I was looking at pictures of castles in the sky and I finally ended up with the slides, which appeared to lend themselves very well for photographing snacks.

Would you classify your work as art?
No, it's just for fun. Some photoshop in a lost hour.

Which snack is the construction worker chopping in half here?
The crispy outside crust tells you, that's a kipcorn snack.

What is your favorite image so far?
Surely the concrete mixer, but also the slides!. And the sausages have the potential to become a great series.

Are you planning to continue?
Now that I have created an account on Instagram, I feel the need to always come up with a better image. I have to be careful that I'm not losing myself. As long as I can keep smiling, we're good I think. I'll just post a picture once in awhile and that's it.

What snack you prefer, and how often do you eat it?
I do not eat a lot of snacks, so once every one or two weeks I get fries with a "kroket" or sometimes a chicken satay. If I really want to treat myself I get a "bamiblok" from the snack bar.

Bon appétit!