Eleventh International Conference on Food Studies

Abstract

I love food and enjoy taste. I am deeply concerned about the damage humans perpetrate on our environment. This study reviews nine projects from over past 12 years since completing my MFA with images and video clips. My first solo show was entitled Food Wars. A multi media exhibition included photographs of toy soldiers battling in food dishes and large sculptures of shrimp tails invaded by soldiers and pollution. While completing my MFA I showed Pairings referencing high-end restaurants pairing foods and wines. However in this case exotic foods and spices were offered on coffee tables each covered with images of human skin of different colours drawing attention to exploitation and colonization. This led to two Jardin Biologique-Potager de resistance. Vegetables were grown entrapped in plastic containers found in garbage bins. They grew despite constraints and to free them from these entrapments DrLegumes a plastic surgeon for fruits and vegetables was recruited. His daring operations can be found on YouTube. Dr Legumes has also created recipes for the taste of emotions such as absence. Growing plants in plastic refuse led me to develop a method of creating sculptures with wheat grass root and cypress trees. These were shown in a series of exhibitions called Collaborative Alchemy. I am presently addressing the issue of diminished soil fertility due to chemicals used by farmers and gardeners that harm the earthworms population. These Worm Art Work paintings and their accompanying videos are made with red wriggler compost worms in non-toxic dyes.