Video

Unit Objective:

• Explore the notion of food as an artform.
• Consider cultural differences in the production and consumption food.

Artifact # 3:

Food as Art

No matter what the situation is, I always treat food or dishes as a kind of art to date, because when food with good looking, smell and tastes, it has been full of people’s emotion and effort, which has reached the level of art; in addition, as a Chinese, our Chinese people consider eating as a kind of culture, and we usually pay lots of attention to make every dish.. Although there is a period that I am confused when I watched a video about fast food, such food is rarely matching with definition of food in my mind. However, I can confirm my thought without doubt now since I re-read the article “What is art for” by Ellen Dissanayake — everything can be art, and it strengthens my understanding to the meaning of “art”.

Art actually can be displayed in any ways, and food is one of the patterns. Relatively, food can be exhibited in various ways, such as the Fast Food and Slow Food videos pointed out.  Before fast food is sold in fast food restaurant like KFC and McDonald’s, it will be processed in the food factories and kept frozen until it reaches the fast food restaurant. The procedures to cook fast food are also complicated although they are considered “faster” in literal. However, the ingredients of this kind of food are made up of such as sugar, corn syrup, chemical additives, and flavor additives. It is obvious to see that most of these ingredients are unhealthy but are used, because they are cheap enough to get the same effect as other dishes do, and their low prices determine large quantity and longest preservation time, which compared too organic or fresh grown food.  Although the main motive to produce the fast food is profit or maybe saving time, after delving in deeper and think about the procedures of operating factories and processing food regardless the business, we still can name fast food “art” as well. On the other hand, Slow Food is the pattern I would consider a true art essentially. Unlike Fast Food, this variety of dishes is cooked to meet people’s need in enjoyment and satisfaction.  Fast Food could also suit these emotions, however, what fast food rose is a little well feeling, it surely includes the sense of satiety, but it cannot guarantee tastes.  In addition, Slow Food will generate the sense of connection, which food and cuisine shall create a heightened inter-appreciation. Slow Food takes times to complete, because most times chef has to think carefully the weight of every ingredient incorporated which may affect the whole dish. Since the methods of cuisine are so diverse among chefs, which chefs probably use various condiments to strengthen the dishes’ tastes, it leads to the situation that the dish tastes different every time it is served and unique to their audience. In spite of the taste, the expression of the dishes should also be a form of art, the way to arrange the food on the plate and decoration around the food all displayed the art.

As thinking back to the dining places I go, such as famous restaurant and dining cars, their well-looking is the basic requirement; although I don’t really care about food’s appearance, in my view, all of them show the art of cuisine, the tastes are also insured. Ellen Dissanayake explains how the “appellation of “art” is given to objects that possess some quality – of beauty, harmony, excellence – and denied to those that do not (24).”  Slow cooked food is that of how she describes what should be considered art.  Although Fast Food actually does not bring same qualities as the food in general restaurant do, however, the business model behind the food including factories operation, efficiency, processing and generating the food surely should be considered as art. Both in the beginning and ending, the art behind slow food is created an arranged by an individual, who intend to use his emotion into food to satisfy his appreciators, through tasting his works and witnessing the final appearance. This should be so-called the way to transform the “ordinary into extra-ordinary” (Dissanayake, 24).

Dissanayake, E. (1991). What is art for? In K. C. Caroll (Ed.). Keynote adresses 1991 (NAEA Convention), (pp.15-26). Reston, VA: National Art Education Association.

Reflection:

To date, I still believe that art can be displayed in any pattern, however, the quality of the art will be classified; for instance, a paper with several brushes or strokes should be considered as art, the works of famous artists are surely art. Since the music and paintings are art, why not food? Even do a proportion of people use food to do painting, although I consider this is a kind of way to waste food.

I find some interesting food culture among different countries, since I came to America. As a Chinese, our Chinese people consider eating as a kind of culture, and we usually pay lots of attention to make every dish, which we focus on food’s smell, tastes, most time we don’t really care about the displaying patterns, except dining with special dishes. However, some food in America destroys my previous thought to food, especially fast food. In spite of the display pattern, its tastes are rarely praised. But some American cuisines, such as the seafood store in Seattle, they inspire me to eat again, which they have a certain way to keep the delicate flavor of seafood.

I have read about other people’s opinions to food, which food was eaten to sustain or eliminate the sense of hunger rather than eaten for pleasure or for taste, which often happens in Africa. This situation is caused by the different living conditions; and I will consider their food and living patterns as art, because those people use limited source of material and cook them in order to survive.

Learning Goals for the Future:

In the future I would be really interested in comparing the views to food from various people, people always have different views of world after all. And I will enjoy diverse dishes from different culture, and try my best to think about why the dishes will be cooked in those ways.

Return Main page of portfolio