Background: In 2021, six empty Diet Mountain Dew (DMD) cans formed a moveable exhibit and homage called “Nectar of the Gods,” which is exhibited on the @DMDdmv Instagram. [Diet Mountain Dew, naturally, is the nectar of the gods.]

Update: In 2024, the artform, described as a sculpture, is being brought to a new locale. @DMDZona is a celebration of the refreshing virtues of DMD as well as the beauty of our nation’s southwest desert, focused on Arizona. Like @DMDdmv, each photograph is tagged for location and is accompanied by a relevant saying, quote, or observation.

The exhibit travels with me in a new, orange nylon backpack around Tucson and other areas of the desert. In several ways, the DMD sculpture is the perfect tourist – visiting iconic and/or historic attractions in Arizona while cleaning up after itself.

You can visit the exhibit and follow its expansion on Instagram using the hashtag #dmdzona. You can also join the “Nectar of the Gods” celebration by listening to a unique cover version of Lana Del Rey’s “Diet Mountain Dew” on YouTube: https://youtu.be/G9xsBC_uLno

The original Nectar of the Gods exhibit traveled to 400 locations in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Plans for @DMDZona are still being developed.

[Artist’s Note: I recognize that not everyone appreciates the color of Diet Mountain Dew, its caffeine content, cloying taste, aspartame, or sexiness. Those people are philistines who probably prefer Mello Yello Zero, which tastes like DMD mixed with your own urine.]