Art and Food Collide

Turning food into art, or creating art about food – it is a pairing that dates back to when humans lived in caves.

Otago Polytechnic’s Dunedin School of Art is this year using its annual symposium to explore the connections between art and food, both culturally and historically, from different perspectives.

Organiser and senior lecturer in Art History and Theory, Peter Stupples, says the day-long August 24 Symposium at the School follows on from successful events in past years.

“We started in 2009 exploring Art and Science, followed by Art and Law and, last year, Art and Medicine.
“Art and food was a logical combination and we have been lucky to partner this year with the University of Otago’s Centre for Sustainability and Food Science Department.”

A range of national and international speakers are taking part in the event, which is free and open to all.
They include margarine sculptor and Chef Lecturer at Auckland University of Technology, Paul Hamilton, Dunedin artist Simon Kaan, and, by live video streaming, New York-based Malaysian artist Chee Wang Ng.
Topics covered range from the demise of margarine sculpting as an art form and illustrating cookbooks, to the marriage of art and haute cuisine.

The symposium accompanies a two-week-long exhibition at the Dunedin School of Art, featuring the works of some of the speakers and other local artists, which opens on August 20.

The programme and more details are available on the Dunedin School of Art website.