I asked myself if I see food as art after this week’s reading and video presentation. I think to compare fast food and slow food is just one of many ways to discuss this. Elizabeth Telfer said food is a kind of “minor art” because “works of art in food, whether creative or interpretative, cannot gain the same stature as those of greater permanence. (p.25) ” I still remember in last week’s reading, Ellen Dissanayake said art is something that “making special”. So I think it might be worth that I could combine those two ideas together and talk about it.
I believe art is abstract and has free style. Weather I see food as art really depends on many factors. But a very important factor is its meaning behind. I will use some examples to explain my point.
This is a very normal and traditional dinner in China. I think not many people would see it as art, but I do. The reason is very simple, this dinner means a lot to me because this is the first dinner I had when I first went back to China since I study abroad. My mom cooked everything, which are all my favorite “family taste dishes”.
Another example that I will see food as art is this picture. It is another Chinese food called “Mian pi”, which is made in rice. I know it looks not very good, but I will definitely see it as an art. The reason is that it is my favorite food when I was little. The store is not very far from my primary school, and the happiest thing for me was to eat a bowl of Mian pi after school. After these many years, that store is still there, and there Mian pi is still tastes same. Every time I eat it will reminds me of my happy childhood, so I will absolutely see it as art.
These food in picture are a kind of fast food in China. It is more like snacks in the US. I will not see them as art because they are so basic and easy to get in China. But when I show this picture to one of my America friends, she said they are really pretty and she will see them as art. So again, different people will have different definition of art, and their definition will based on culture, habit, taste, and many other factors.
On the other hand, sometimes I will judge food by its looking. For example, this picture shows what my dinner was today. I am not good at cooking, and it tastes not good. I will not see this food as art because, I mean, I can’t find any reason to do that.
Last example is this one. It is like small hotpot in China. I will probably see as art because it tastes really good, plus, it looks pretty.
To sum up, I will see food as art when it means something special to me, which is similar with Dissanayake’s definition of art. And I will also judge food based on its taste and looking. And lastly, different people will have different thoughts about food and art, and art is still a very broad and abstract term, but this is what attracts people the most at the same time.
