Life

Spicy Chicken Strips Are Basically Art

A weekday night at a gallery opening spent discussing the nature of art is anyone's idea of a fancy night out. Thoughts like "I AM CULTURE" pass through your mind as you reach for another gourmet canapé. What you might not expect, however, is that the artist of such an evening is Jack in the Box, and the latest, greatest works on display are Jack's new Spicy Chicken Strips.

We got to experience such a night at Jack's House of Crunch, hosted by Bustle and Jack in the Box. The exhibit — if you will — was a journey exploring the five-sense experience of Jack's new Spicy Chicken Strips, one of the latest additions to the mouthwatering menu of this fast food favorite. The exhibit was open to the public from Friday, May 31st to Saturday, June 1st, with a VIP preview hosting influencers and media on Thursday, May 30th.

We touched. We smelled. We tasted. We debated whether great art is raw realism or cartoonish artifice — or both! Most importantly, we got plenty of content for the 'gram. This humble writer left thinking, "Wow, chicken strips are art." Read on to see why, and make sure to try Jack's new Spicy Chicken Strips.

1. They're Larger Than Life

As Pop Art taught us, a great way to make art is to take something normal, then make it giant. Such was the principle behind the first set piece of the night, a massive Jack's Spicy Chicken Strip being dipped into House Buttermilk Ranch sauce. In addition to underscoring the oversized taste and crunch of Jack's new Spicy Chicken Strips, it served to highlight the crushing smallness of one's individual existence in an infinitely large universe.

2. The Sauces Are Fragrant Enough To Make Into Signature Scents

Ever wish you could wear your favorite food in perfume form? We got to do that with our favorite Jack's new Spicy Chicken Strip sauces and the L'Eau De Jacques perfume counter. Scents included smoky "Kickin BBQ," rich "Buttery Jack," zesty "Jack's new Spicy Chicken Strips," and creamy "Buttermilk Ranch." We even had a lovely perfume counter attendant to help figure out which one matched our body chemistry.

3. The Crunch Is Crispy Enough To Dive Into

Normal museums discourage touching the art under pain of forcible removal by security. This is a different kind of museum. The crunch pit encouraged our audience not to just touch the crunch, but to submerge themselves in it. And then, of course, to make content.

4. The ASMR Room Was Positively Symphonic

You can enjoy a night out at the philharmonic, or you can find the little symphonies in everyday life, starting with the satisfying crunch of biting into an extra-crispy chicken strip. That was what we learned within the ASMR room, one of the final experiences in the House of Crunch. The theater was fashioned like the inside of an oven, complete with infrared lighting, and guests were given headphones to experience the epic crunch of Jack's new Spicy Chicken Strips up close and personal. Better yet, you can watch the video online for yourself!

5. You Can See Yourself In The Strips

Some would argue that the greatest art is the kind you can see yourself in. Especially in the age of social media, the best art is (arguably) the kind we want to literally photograph ourselves in. From a pair of angel wings (made out of spicy chicken strips), to a series of mirrors corresponding to the chicken strip sauce you favor most, the chicken reflected back our real and ideal selves.

After all, great art is made to be commented on, but ultimately consumed — literally.

This article is sponsored by Jack in the Box.