Food is the necessity for people’s daily life. Even though food is normal, I still view food as an art. Food is not just the thing to feed people. People pursue to make delicious food with great look and taste so that they could distinguish their food with others. In the process of making more delicious food with great look and taste makes food a kind of art little by little. Just like what Elizabeth Telfer said in “Food as Art”, “it is generally agreed that there can be aesthetic reactions to tastes and smells.” People not only want to stay away hunger, but also want to enjoy the figure and smells of food. They appreciate the food in good shapes and have aesthetic reactions.
What’s more, food could be a representation of the different cultures of the countries all over the world. For instance, burger is a form of traditional food of the U.S.A, while dumplings is that of China. People could think of the countries when they saw the food. Dissanayake stated different theories about art in her article. I found that postmodernism’s theory, Art as interpretation, could support my opinion. The postmodernism thought “Rather than assuming that art reflects a unique and privileged kind of knowledge, any ‘truth’ or ‘reality’ is only a point of view- a ‘representation’ that comes to us mediated and conditioned by our language, our social institutions, the assumptions that characterize individuals as members of a nation, a race, a gender, a class, a profession, a religious body, a particular historical period” (Dissanayake, 5). From my point of view, art could meets postmodernism’s understanding of art well. The climate, topography, social structure, and culture are some of the elements that determine the diversity of food in different countries. For instance, people in the U.S.A have the different food system with people in the Africa because of the climate. Therefore, the ways they made food are totally different. In this way, we could say that food is also a interpretation to state the culture or climate of a specific area.
I really like that you brought the culture into the conversation. It’s so true that what is considered to be standard fare to one, is relegated as unique to another.
I also completely agree when you touched on that food is really left open to our individual interpretations too. The dynamic textures of the ingredients and their distinct mouth feels; the tantalizing flavors and nuances of the smells intermingled together; the colors that stimulate the aesthetics since, as the saying goes, we first eat with our eyes. For every individual their own personal preferences and experiences come into play when they try foods and immerse themselves in it. No two experiences will be alike and the lobster bisque that I think is divine, you may find atrocious. Just like any other art form, no matter the medium, how you see and interpret the art is an experience unique to the individual, for every individual. Really something crazy to think about!
I really enjoyed your response! I also believe that food fits well into the postmodernist point of view. I liked that you brought up climate and typography as examples of things that influence the type of food a certain culture will make. I have thought about how different places have different types of food growing in the regions and also how people are accustomed to certain spices and ways of making the food, but bringing up the land that people live in is a very good point. This would definitely have a huge influence on the type of food people would make. As you said, people in the USA and people in Africa have completely different food systems and thus “food is also an interpretation to state the culture or climate of a specific area.” In response to your statements, I have one question. I was wondering what your opinion was of the popular “fusion food” where two different types of cuisine are combined. Do you think that this takes away from the traditional cultural aspects of some cuisine? And does it enhance or detract from the artistry involved in the making of such food? Personally, I believe that fusion food is very creative and that it requires artistic abilities to blend flavors and textures, just as painters would mix colors and textures to create a beautiful painting.