Unit 04 Is Food Art? Discussion
This is my first time to think about if food could be seen as art and I feel interesting to this question. I believe that food could be considered as art. Frist of all, the food have the elements of visual art, like shapes and colors. As Telfer argues, “it is obvious that foodstuffs can be made into visual objects which are works of art” (13). Secondly, the food was added the factors of aesthetics when it was be created by people, especially for those dishes rather than mass production. Telfer introduces that the definition of a work of art is “a thing intended or used wholly or largely for aesthetic consideration”, and “many meals are intended by their cooks to be considered largely in this way- to be savored, appraised, thought about, discussed-and many eaters consider them in this way” (14). The chelf know that the delicate appearance of food could attract customers to eat so they are intended to add aesthetic consideration into the food. So we can conclude that the meals that intended to include aesthetic consideration could be seen as an artwork.
I think the “making special” theory of art that best represents my views about food and art in Ellen Dissanayake’s article “Art is for Life’s Sake”. “Making special” means “particularly things that one cares deeply about or activities whose outcome has strong personal significance” (Dissanayake, 22). As he explains, “we can see it in such simple things as when we cook special meals an wear special garb for important occasions, and find special ways of saying important things” (24). Every chef deeply care about the dishes and they want every dish could have personal significance, so cooking dishes is making special and chefs treat the every dish as an artwork.
I agree with the notion that food should be considered as art as well, but I feel it is seen more by the texture of the item at hand and its taste rather than just appearance alone. Food should be considered its own form of art, as there are so many unique ways one can approach this. Just as Dissanayake stated about how one can evoke a heightened emotion after seeing a piece of art one can feel a heightened emotion from eating a certain type of dish (Dissanayake 22). That being said, there is a far deeper connection with food to art than just colors. Appearance aside, there’s a variety of food assorted from a multitude of cultures which makes it much more unique and desirable. And I do believe that cooks should be considered as artists as well, as they spend a lot of time crafting their skills in creating a heighten emotion and satisfaction (although short lived) from a consumer.
I too agree that food is an art. You make strong arguments of why food is an art, but I do think that there is more reasons other than just its appearance and presentation. According to the radio network by Kurt Anderson, “Is Smell a Sense of Noble as Vision or Hearing”, is a interesting topic that talks about how our minds interpret different smells and tastes through our sense of smell. I believe that what makes ‘art’ is how our creative minds work to process a thought of interpretation. Similar in this situation, the way our sense of smell changes how we may think of food, that itself is an art. Wouldn’t you agree that the smell that goes into the creation of a food dish is a art? That the chef does it purposefully to ensure that what you smell, you will taste?
I admire how you mention how the chef is delicate with his creations of food, because I believe too that it is some sort or parallel to an artist and how much an art piece matters to them.
Hi Beichen ,i found your post very interesting to read and I agree with your idea “the food have the elements of visual art”. Just like the Telfer said in his article “if something is a work of art, then its maker or exhibitor intended it to be looked at or listened to with intensity, for its own sake”(Telfer P.12). The cheif generally would take aesthetic consideration into dishes so that the food will look better. Base on Dissanayake’s idea art is form of communication that is embedded into every human being on this planet. It is easy to figure out that chef take aesthetic consideration into dishes just wants to show what they are doing is also a kind of art. Furthermore, food is also a form of communication, when people are having their food, they will also discuss the food. Based on these reasons, food is a kind of art.