I do not view food as an art because I only consume food to relieve my hunger. In this week’s reading, Elizabeth talks about aesthetic reactions to discuss whether food should be considered as an art. Definitely food give rise us to aesthetic reaction while eating; however, giving an aesthetic reaction does not equal to an art. Telfer says, “Not all objects that can give rise to aesthetic reactions are works of art.” (Page 12) In addition to that, Telfer also says, “One problem is that the phrase “work of art” can be used in either a classifying or an evaluative way. To use it in a classifying way is to say something about how the object is regarded, whereas to use it in an evaluative way is to say something about the extent to which it merits the label “work of art.” (Page 12) In my evaluative way, I do not evaluate food by “work of art”, but by the taste of food. Telfer says, “Because people have to eat them to appreciate them, and because each person necessarily eats a different part of the dish, it might seem that in the sphere of food no one can appreciate a complete work of art, and no two people can appreciate the same one.” (Page 17) Which means that no one can have the exactly same food and evaluate it. Elizabeth also mentions that the intention of creating is important. She says, “Our definition of a work of art, in the classifying sense, was: “a thing intended or used wholly or largely for aesthetic consideration”.” (Page 14) Almost every food that is made by cook has an intention to be consumed by customers, and I see food as something that I consume. I think the theory of art that best represents my opinion is postmodernism. Ellen says “Artists, just like everybody else, do not see the world in any singularly privileged or objectively truthful way, but rather – like everybody – interpret it according to their individual and cultural sensibilities.” (Page 19 from Week 2’s reading) I interpret the intention of making food is to eat not to see it as an art. Therefore, I do not view food as an art.
First, thank you for sharing your beautiful perspective on the disagreement of food as art. I understand individual difference plays a role in judging the question of whether food as art. Like what Ellen saying “Artists, just like everybody else, do not see the world in any singularly privileged or objectively truthful way, but rather – like everybody – interpret it according to their individual and cultural sensibilities” (p19), we all human beings see the world in the same way (maybe) but express what we feel differently. For your viewpoint, I would add comments that fast food, here, may be considered not as work of art. Compared to other food (i.e. slow food), I believe it is the level of arousal from fast food to our aesthetic reaction that matters in evaluating “food as art. To clarify, “the level of arouse” refers to multi-components such as packaging of product (a fancy outlook attracts people’s attention firstly), taste and/or smell of food (smell/taste determines in the largest degree) and how healthy the food is (healthy food does matter nowadays). Therefore, by linking to what Elizabeth stating, “ With food, as with clothes, people have a chance to enhance an area of their everyday lives. So to that extent the aesthetic appreciation of food is not a separate, aliened activity, but an aspect of what is done every day” (p 21), whether food as art is a controversial topic as it requires consideration in multiple ways rather than simply judge by the physical (i.e hunger) or psychological(i.e aesthetic) arousal.
You made an interesting point when you said that you don’t view food as art because you only consume it to satisfy hunger. Stating that people to do evaluate based on its visual appeal but rather they access it by how it tastes. I found this to be an interesting point which lead me to wonder if people who see food different have different stances on the debate on whether food is an art form or not. While many people solely consumer food just to satisfy hunger, as you mentioned you do as well. This brought into question those who dine solely for the overall food experience, choosing new and unique foods, not for the overall taste but for the experience of trying something new, for example those who consume different bugs, animals and plants. To me these food critiques or “foodies” would view food as an art because they are not eating just to satisfy a basic human need, they are instead eating to redefine the food process, thus turning food into an art form.
Your post was interesting and relevant to my post about whether or not food was art. I like how we both agree that food is inevitably art because chefs put a lot of effort in their dishes. There is always originality and uniqueness in food as there is to art because every time a chef makes a dish, it would not necessary be the exact same replica. There is always a slight alter to the dish somehow, like from the design, color or structure of the food itself. Foods are always ranked by their appearance, as it does in china, hence it is universal. that brings us to the quote “art is not universal”. It definitely is because art will have an aesthetic reaction to most people, but not necessarily all. Telfer states, “all views and listeners approach works of art from their own points of view and their own preconceptions, and so in a sense each sees a different work of art” (Telfer 17). Everyone has their own way of interpreting beauty based on their perspective. Not all people may think food is beautiful by the way it’s presented, but others will and they understand that food is art.
I am so glad to see a different voice from you about how different people’s point of view on the question of this week: “if food art?” As different individuals, each of us has our own view of our values and appreciations of the art. As you mentioned in your post, in your evaluative way, you do not evaluate food by “work of art”, but by the taste of food (TaeWoong 2014). And you cited from Telfer about no two people can appreciate the same food depending on different people’s feeling and experiences even on a same dish of food. In addition, you also discussed about the intention of creating an art work. I agree that many people only see food as things that they consume for relieving hunger, and many cooks cook only for making money, but if someone shows his or her passion about creating an artwork while cooking, can this work be seen as an artwork?