Objective:

• Examine methods for evaluating qualities of art, such as product versus process, the difference between craft and fine art, must art be archival, and what is an aesthetic reaction.
• Explore the notion of food as an artform.
• Consider culture differences in the production and consumption food.

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Food as art is written by Elizabeth Telfer, a famous philosopher who masters the relationship between philosophy and food. In the book named Food as art, Elizabeth makes a deep research on the top which concerned with whether food can be regarded as a work of art. She tends to put forward the question and then try to answer the question step by step instead of answering the question at the beginning. In order to answer the question whether food is art, Elizabeth makes an introduction of the definition of aesthetic reaction. And then she cites Urmson’s definition of art in order to give rise to the discussion of the definition of art. Therefore, she makes a conclusion that only when the food is delicious and man-made, and made with aesthetic consideration by the makers and cooks. Moreover, the aesthetic standard of the society and the intention of the makers should also be taken into consideration when discussing whether food can be considered as a piece of art. The food can be considered as art if the makers want the eaters have a sense of pleasure and the food is so tasty and delicious that the eaters enjoy the food very much.

When I see the topic of discussing whether food can be regarded as art, I cannot help thinking that food must be a piece of art because I enjoy eating very much. But when reading the article named Food as art written by Elizabeth Telfer, I learn to analyze the topic in the view of philosophy. I realize that in order to figure out the question, we need to consider in many factors. However, I feel a little confused the standard which we should use to conclude whether food can be considered as a piece of art. Let’s take fast food as example. We eat fast food all the time because fast food can bring us convince. However, can we that fast food is art. Fast food is made both human being and machines. And it sometimes tastes good. But the intension of the makers is to make the food fast and not wasting too much time, instead of making it in order to make the eaters feel happy. Aesthetic reactions are the species of pleasure to something (Telfer, 2002). That is to say, fast food can not be treated as art because it can not fulfill the requirement of aesthetic consideration. Therefore, fast food can not be considered as art.

Ellen Dissanayake is an American anthropologist, who also makes many research of art. According to his experience of living in many countries for more than ten years, she writes a book named What is art for?, which makes a great contribution to the world’ study on art. According to Ellen Dissanayake, art is about emotion and psychology, which accords with Elizabeth’s idea which thinks that the food which can bring eaters a sense a pleasure can be regarded as art. Moreover, Dissanayake also thinks that art is inherent characteristic of human being which includes society and history (Dissanayake, 1992). Dissanayake thinks that art is concerned with the society and history which also accords with Elizabeth’s idea that art should be conform to the aesthetic standard of the society. However, Dissanayake put forwards the phrase of “making special”, which is the core of the term of Behavior of Art. But Elizabeth does not think that the food which can be considered as art should be special. Elizabeth thinks that the food should smell and taste good but she does not require the food to be special. Elizabeth has said that the food which can be regarded as art is too complex so that it is long-drwan-out to be understandable (Dissanayake, 1992).

As far as I am concerned, I think that sometimes food can be considered as a piece of art but sometimes it can not. I believe that besides the taste, the smell, the society’s aesthetic standard, the history, the intention of the makers, the food which can be considered as a piece of art must be made not only by the hand of the makers, but also by the hearts of the makers. Only when the makers make the food with their hearts, can be food be considered as art, can the food brings the eaters the sense of pleasure. I believe that only when the food can make people happy, can be food be called as a piece of art. There are many kinds of food in the world, but some of the food is used to make people to survive but some is used to make people happy. The enjoyable food should be art.

 

Reflection:

            According to Urmson, in order to figure out whether one thing is an work of art, besides man-made stuff, we need to take the exhibitor’s and maker’s intentions into consideration. The opinion of the society should be considered as the criterion of aesthetic consideration as well. As I mentioned before, art is from artists’ inside which express artists’ thinking, so considering the purpose of an artwork in order to evaluate qualities of art. I have learnt that everyone could make a craft, which means art includes craft but not every craft is artwork. Comparing to fine art, it must be made by artists. I think art is an aesthetic reaction, art reacts artists and audiences’ aesthetic. For example, a popular artwork in a specific time may react publics aesthetic from that period of time.

            It is the first time to think food as art, and it is really interesting. What a new point of view I have learnt that food could makes people think and attract people, which somehow have same results with art. Telfer mentioned, “The essence of the process [of duplication] is that it enables an artist to produce many copies of one work. Since we can call each engraving a work of art, we can call each pie a work of art, at least in the classifying sense,” (Telfer, 17). Art brings pleasure to audiences and so do food, indeed practically, food could physically satisfy people but delicious food equals to enjoy a beautiful artwork.

            In China, almost every festival relates to food, such as, Chinese eat dumpling at spring festival, eat rice dumpling at Dragon Boat festival, and eat moon cake at the Mid-autumn Festival. In traditional Chinese culture, food and culture influence each other. In western countries, even people eat different food, but food is a part of culture as well. For example, family gathers together eating turkey at Thanksgiving. Different culture has different eating habits, however, generally food can’t not be deny when we mention culture.     

Future:

Who said cooking is not an art? I believe that cooking is definitely a beautiful art form like composing and the writing fictions. It will not only require the basic knowledge and professional skills but also need imagination and creativity. I think I will try to learn to cook dishes and foods from different world. It will be an impressive skills and also will be really interesting. More importantly, I think I will know many new friends in the future by using this skill.

 

Reference

Tefler, E. (2002). Food as Art. In Neill, A. & Riley, A. (eds.) Arguing About Art: Contemporary Philosophical Debates (2nd ed., Chap. 2). New York, NY: Routledge.