Ronit Baranga's disturbing life-like sculptures take a twisted look at our obsession with sugar

On show at Melbourne's Beinart Gallery from 17 October, the series, All Things Sweet & Painful, is a table inhabited by irresistible temptations and even the creepy tea set has human features. On a deeper level, Baranga addresses the complex relationship we have with luxuries, especially with foods: the mix of need and the insatiable hunger for more – more sugar, more attention, more love.

"There is a constant push against the boundaries of rational consumption, craving the sugar rush, forever tempted to go overboard," explains the gallery. "The detailed sculpted and painted sweets are at the same time a thing of beauty and sinful indulgence. Seducing and promising, they hold a hidden threat and convey a feeling of unease. We know our secret vices won't go unpunished. We torture ourselves for the very thought of joyful, careless lust."

A native of Israel where she continues to live and work, Baranga was the 2016 recipient of the Israeli Ministry of Culture Award. Her work has been displayed in museums and galleries around the world. Key exhibitions include the Triennale Design Museum in Milan, Banksy's Dismaland and solo exhibitions in Tel-Aviv, New York and Australia. Discover more of her work at ronitbaranga.com.