AUSTIN AGUILAR-BLANCO - Final Project Theme Exhibition (1)
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Arts Humanities
Date
Dec 6, 2023
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Uploaded by DeanWaterBuffalo9528
Visual Arts and Food
The theme of food in the visual arts presents how artistic expression and the
consumption of food can be combined into a universal theme that is shared throughout
human culture. This theme has transcended time and geographic boundaries, reaching
people of all lands and cultures. It has made its way through different societies, eras,
and artistic experiences, showing how a human necessity can and has become a
powerful form of artwork. To truly show how powerful of a theme food can be, we must
reflect on how powerful the relationship between food and artistic expression is.
This exhibit encourages viewers to think more deeply about how this form of art
is portrayed, celebrated, and shared throughout human existence. To achieve this, the
exhibit will have elements of a traditional art museum fused with aspects of a modern
kitchen and dining area. The area will primarily represent a modern kitchen; however,
the walls of this exhibit will be white, similar to an art museum seen today. The white
walls of the gallery will serve as a canvas for showcasing visual art pieces. There will
also be a dining area where food is prepared and served, where visitors may enjoy
culinary tastings. Combining these two spaces will create an immersive experience that
allows viewers to visualize this theme of art in the very place where it is created today.
This gallery will allow the viewers to explore a selection of art pieces that
resonate with the theme of food in visual arts. These examples will range from classic
works of art to contemporary installations, providing a comprehensive view of the
theme's timeless relevance and evolution through history. The gallery will include pieces
such as "The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci, “Still Life with Crab, Shrimps and
Lobster” by Clara Peeters, “Still Life with Apples” by Paul Cézanne, “Lobster Telephone”
by Salvador Dalí, and “The Son of Man” by René Magritte. These pieces of art are
arranged in this particular order so that we can visualize the change in understanding
the theme of food in the visual arts throughout history. The pieces of visual and material
culture were chosen for this exhibit because they all represent how food has changed
over time and how it can be differently depicted. Viewers will be presented with a
well-organized, thoughtful, and comprehensive exhibit that allows them to experience
and explore the theme and its implications on human culture over history.
Leonardo da Vinci, The Last Supper, 1498 (Santa Maria delle Grazie, Italy)
Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper" was chosen for its iconic image of food in the
context of religious art. This masterpiece captures the visual arts topic of food by
presenting a key moment of Jesus eating with his followers, reflecting the spiritual and
communal elements of food intake. The artwork is a great illustration of how art has
been utilized throughout history to express the significant cultural and symbolic values
connected with eating.
"The Last Supper" is a 15 by 29 foot fresco artwork displayed on the walls of the
Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. It is an extensive depiction of Jesus
Christ's final meal with his twelve disciples before his crucifixion. Leonardo da Vinci
created this art by applying paint onto wet plaster, allowing the colors of the painting to
become part of the wall itself. Jesus Christ is seen in the middle of a very long table with
his 12 disciples to his left and right side. The painting has many colors consisting of
white, grey, greens, blues, yellows, and shades of pink and red. Pieces of what look to
be bread can be seen spread across the table. This symbolizes Jesus giving up his
body, what we know as the Eucharist, in the sacrament of communion. Da Vinci's
portrayal of the Last Supper reflects his engagement with religious themes. His respect
for the subject matter is evident in the extreme attention to detail in the execution of the
work. "The Last Supper" has been the subject of extensive study and restoration efforts,
highlighting its enduring impact on art history and its status as a symbol of religious and
artistic achievement.
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Clara Peeters, Still Life with Crab, Shrimps and Lobster, 1640 (The Museum of Fine
Arts, Houston)
Clara Peeters’s “Still Life with Crab, Shrimps and Lobster” was picked to be part of this
exhibit not only because it showcases the attention to detail of the food on the set table
but it also shows the culinary culture of the seventeenth-century. This painting highlights
how the visual arts are and have been used to show the lavishness of culinary delights
throughout history.
Still-life paintings were prominent in the seventeenth century, and "Still Life with Crab,
Shrimps, and Lobster" masterfully captures and displays one. The painting features a
set table covered in seafood, cheeses, bread, eating utensils, and a tall glass. From left
to right, the table features a large crab, a bowl filled with shrimps, and a lobster, giving
the painting its name. The color palette is rich and varied, with vibrant reds and oranges
of the seafood to the pale yellows and browns of the cheese and bread, all set against a
dark, neutral background. Still-life painting of this time elevated the beauty of common
items to the level of high art. The painting's exquisite detail demonstrates Clara
Peeters's skill and proficiency in representing many textures and materials, from the
seafood to the wooden table. Clara Peeters, being one of the few female painters of her
time, also adds to the larger discussion of women's roles in art history. Her
accomplishment as an artist in a male-dominated sector demonstrates her skill and
determination."Still Life with Crab, Shrimps, and Lobster" is not only a fine example of
the still life genre, but it also provides a historical glimpse into the cultural and artistic
landscape of the time, the culinary preferences of the time, and the achievements of a
pioneering female artist.
Paul Cézanne, Still Life with Apples, 1894 (The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles)
"Still Life with Apples" by Paul Cézanne was chosen for its outstanding visual portrayal
of the topic of food. In this still-life painting, Cézanne's brilliant use of color, shape, and
arrangement transforms ordinary apples into objects of deep contemplation and
emphasizes the theme's capacity to raise everyday objects into the world of beauty.
This work captures the topic by stressing food's aesthetic aspects and how it can be a
source of artistic inspiration, urging viewers to understand the fundamental relationship
between the visual arts and the simple, yet important, pleasures of eating.
This work of fine art depicts a group of apples arranged on a plate surrounded by
tablecloths, ceramic pots or vases, and a corked bottle. The colors range from earthy
greens, reds, and yellows of the apples and pots to the dark blues and blacks of the
tablecloths. "Still Life with Apples" by Paul Cézanne provides a significant glimpse into
the artist's distinctive vision and contribution to the creation of modern art. This artwork
demonstrates how he pushed away from traditional representation to seek new means
of visual expression through his precise attention to shape, use of color, and unique
brushwork. The apples in the artwork are more than mere fruit; they invite viewers to
explore the beauty of everyday life. In this regard, it reflects the visual arts topic of food
by demonstrating how simple culinary items may be elevated to art forms, stressing the
link between art and food. "Still Life with Apples" is significant not just for its creative
inventiveness, but also for its ability to produce a greater understanding of the
connection of food and visual culture in our lives.
Salvador Dalí, Lobster Telephone, 1938 (Tate Modern, London)
"Lobster Telephone" by Salvador Dalí was chosen for its fascinating visual
representation of the topic. This bizarre sculpture cleverly combines an unusual
coupling of a lobster and a telephone, emphasizing the weird and often odd
relationships that may exist between culinary items and ordinary things. Salvador Dalí's
work questions traditional conceptions of food and art, urging viewers to reconsider their
relationship with the culinary world, reflecting the theme's ability to elicit thinking,
creativity, and humor within the context of visual culture.
Salvador Dalí’s “Lobster Telephone” features a lobster perched atop the receiver of a
black rotary telephone. This work of art can be considered to be fine art and material
culture, as telephones were and still are used in everyday life. The vibrant red hue of
the lobster contrasts sharply with the black-and-white color scheme of the telephone.
The lobster itself appears lifelike, with all its intricate details, and it seems as if it could
come to life at any moment. Salvador Dal's work aimed to question traditional thinking
and delve into the depths of the mind. This sculpture displays the artist's concern with
the illogical and surreal, as well as his ability to combine the ordinary with the bizarre.
This artwork truly emphasizes the limitless possibilities of artistic interpretation.
Salvador Dalí’s work exemplifies how artists can use their work to provoke thought and
create new perspectives of the world, transcending standard classifications and tearing
down the boundaries between the conscious and the subconscious.
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René Magritte,
The Son of Man
, 1964 (Private Collection)
René Magritte's "The Son of Man" was chosen because it offers a captivating
surrealistic study of the topic of food in the visual arts. This renowned artwork depicts a
man wearing a bowler hat, his face hidden by a floating green apple. The contrast
between a regular guy and the bizarre, floating apple prompts thought about food's
importance in art as a symbol of mystery and ambiguity. Magritte's work invites viewers
to explore the complexity of vision and reality, eventually demonstrating how the topic of
food may catalyze unique creative interpretations that challenge our understanding of
the everyday.
This work of fine art utilizes a color palette that creates highly realistic details, creating
an ordinary yet mysterious scene. The colors consist of blues for the water and sky
behind the man and black, white, and red for the man’s outfit. There are also bright
greens used for the unmissable apple floating in front of the man’s face. "The Son of
Man" encourages viewers to ponder the symbolic value of food. In this painting, the
green apple, which represents wisdom and temptation, becomes a powerful symbol. It
emphasizes the theme's ability to convert ordinary items like apples into significant
symbols, urging us to perceive food as a thing of significance, mystery, and
interpretation in art rather than just as nourishment. Analyzing the relationship between
food and art underlines the significance of discovering the unexpected and transcending
the usual. This work continues to stimulate creativity and imagination, making it a crucial
contribution to the theme of visual arts and food.
Works Cited
Cézanne, Paul. “Still Life with Apples (the J. Paul Getty Museum Collection).”
Getty
, www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/103QT5.
“The Last Supper, Leonardo Da Vinci [1452-1519].”
Museo Del Cenacolo Vinciano
,
16 Oct. 2019,
cenacolovinciano.org/en/museum/the-works/the-last-supper-leonardo-da-vinci-145
2-1519/.
“The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.”
Collections
,
emuseum.mfah.org/objects/47940/still-life-with-crab-shrimps-and-lobster;jsessioni
d=D72C0D283AFCE01944ED53C611E14F29.
The Son of Man, 1946 by Rene Magritte
, www.renemagritte.org/the-son-of-man.jsp
“The Son of Man.”
Wikipedia
, Wikimedia Foundation, 8 Nov. 2023,
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Son_of_Man.
“Still Life with Apples - Paul Cézanne - Google Arts & Culture.”
Google
, Google,
artsandculture.google.com/asset/still-life-with-apples/WAHFm9iO_SGeQg?hl=en&
ms=%7B%22x%22%3A0.5%2C%22y%22%3A0.5%2C%22z%22%3A9.85758484
769263%2C%22size%22%3A%7B%22width%22%3A1.9852918204773708%2C
%22height%22%3A1.2375000000000005%7D%7D.
“Still Life with Crab, Shrimps and Lobster - Clara Peeters - Google Arts & Culture.”
Google
, Google,
artsandculture.google.com/asset/still-life-with-crab-shrimps-and-lobster/XwH9OAd
PFN1YKQ?hl=en&ms=%7B%22x%22%3A0.5%2C%22y%22%3A0.5%2C%22z%
22%3A9.988991036530567%2C%22size%22%3A%7B%22width%22%3A1.5979
808499475339%2C%22height%22%3A1.2374999999999998%7D%7D.
Tate. “‘Lobster Telephone’, Salvador Dalí, 1938.”
Tate
, 1 Jan. 1970,
www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/dali-lobster-telephone-t03257