This collection explores the powerful relationship between narrative expression and food culture. Through the lens of artists, filmmakers, poets, and photographers, we examine how creative storytelling shapes our understanding of food systems, cultural heritage, and sustainable practices. These works demonstrate that food is not merely sustenance but a canvas for cultural expression, memory, and social change.
Artist as Social Sculptor – Tattfoo Tan
Food Shift HubTattfoo discusses his practice of social sculpture through food and living systems. As an artist who learns, practices, and teaches through curiosity, he explores how daily life becomes art. His approach integrates learning cycles with artistic expression, creating work that transforms how communities engage with food production and consumption. This presentation examines the intersection of artistic practice and sustainable living.
Poetry and Cultural Memory – Ava Chin
Food Shift HubAva Chin shares her food poetry, weaving together family history, cultural identity, and the sensory experience of cooking. Beginning with "Wun Yee. Muk Yee. Cloud Ear Fungus," she explores questions about land and sea, memory and taste. Her work demonstrates how poetry preserves culinary traditions and family stories, connecting readers to their own food histories through vivid imagery and emotional resonance.
Seeds and Cinema – Sean Kaminsky and Lee Brooks
Food Shift HubSean Kaminsky and Lee Brooks discuss their documentary "Open Sesame, The Story of Seeds," which began as an experimental project in 2009. The filmmakers explore seed diversity, agricultural heritage, and the politics of food production. Their collaborative storytelling combines visual artistry with musical elements, creating a film that educates audiences about seed sovereignty while celebrating the beauty of agricultural diversity.
Visual Narratives in Food – Henry Hargreaves
Food Shift HubPhotographer Henry Hargreaves uses food as his artistic medium, creating visual stories that reconnect viewers with culinary culture. His work includes Jello Presidents (gelatin portraits color-coded by political party and tenure) and Food Maps (geographic representations using native ingredients). Through playful yet thought-provoking imagery, Hargreaves encourages audiences to reconsider their relationship with food and its cultural significance.
Artists as Catalysts for Change
Food Shift HubThis panel discussion examines how artistic expression drives food system transformation. The artists demonstrate that visual work, poetry, film, and conceptual art engage emotions and spark conversations in ways that traditional journalism cannot. A burning doughnut photograph, time-lapse seed sprouting accompanied by music, family cooking poems, and produce-inspired color grids all create entry points for deeper dialogue about nutrition, sustainability, and food justice.