Abstract
The title of this paper pulls from contemporary artist Jenny Holzer’s text-based work, which highlights the delicate balances at play in interconnected, global systems. In this study, we report on a similarly named interdisciplinary course that we proposed, developed, and taught in spring 2022. As part of the course, we took 19 undergraduate students to Venice, Italy, for an immersive 10-day study abroad trip, the itinerary for which was constructed entirely around three themes – globalization, contemporary art, and food studies. This wide-ranging itinerary included stops such as the headquarters of the Venice Biennale, various contemporary art galleries and activist spaces, and a family farm specializing in polenta corn varieties registered with the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity. Though seemingly disparate, we argue that food and art are delicately interconnected in our globalized world, and that Venice provides an ideal case study for examining and understanding myriad contemporary systems and crises. As an example of “practice research,” we frame this as an investigation of the nature of creative practice as it engages with food studies, and an exploration of the intricacies of collaborative, interdisciplinary, and internationalized teaching practice. Much of the study focuses on the co-created final product of the course – a book project that merges visual art, food studies, and globalization in the context of Venice. We share how this book allows us, our students, and any readers to “imagine the edible,” and visually consume Venice and all its complexities and contradictions.
Presenters
Sarah CramerAssistant Professor of Sustainable Food Systems, Department of Environmental Science and Studies, Stetson University, Florida, United States Luca Molnar
Assistant Professor of Studio Art, Creative Arts Department, Stetson University, Florida, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2022 Special Focus—Imagining the Edible: Food, Creativity, and the Arts
KEYWORDS
Pedagogy, Globalization, Italy, Interdisciplinary, Alternative food movements, Contemporary art
