A traveling art exhibit that explores the profound role of food in shaping cultures and communities is on display on Long island through June 30.
Works by the artist Donald Sultan, pictured here on the right attending a 2018 event at the Parrish … [+]
Over 100 drawings, paintings, photographs, sculptures and ceramics by 37 artists from the Jordan D. Schnitzer Foundation are being exhibited in “The Art of Food” at the Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill, N.Y. Among these are works by postwar artists such as David Hockney, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Ed Ruscha and Andy Warhol; by contemporary artists including Enrique Chagoya, Jenny Holzer, Alison Saar, Lorna Simpson and Rachel Whiteread; and by artists with deep roots in the East End of Long Island, where the museum is located, including Robert Gober, Roy Lichtenstein and Donald Sultan.
“The title of the exhibition aptly encapsulates how food continues to inspire and fascinate artists,” said Corinne Erni, chief curator of the Parrish. “This exhibition brings together a remarkable array of works that delve into the multifaceted nature of food as a cultural symbol and a medium of artistic expression. The works offer a lot of joy and provoke a lot of questions about food in our society.”
“Since time began, every artist of every generation has used food objects in their art. Food is the most universal part of our lives. Think food and shelter. In today’s world, food impacts every aspect of our lives. Our social interactions, what we put in our bodies, those who face malnutrition every day, the effect of climate change on food production—all critical issues of our time,” Schnitzer, a Portland, Ore.-based businessman and philanthropist, said.
He added, “The artists in this exhibition bring us joy and humor, but also thoughtful challenges about our health based on what we eat! I hope everyone who visits this exhibition comes away with new thoughts about the importance of food in our lives through the voices of these amazing artists!”
The exhibition also relates to the East End of Long Island’s history as an important New York State fishing and agricultural region.
According to the Parrish, “the area was developed into agricultural land in the 1640’s, and by the 1820’s as many as 95 percent of the residents lived on farms. While Greenport and Sag Harbor were ports for trade and whaling, Peconic Bay was known for its fish and shellfish. Today, the East End remains an agricultural center, producing more than 100 different crops, and is an increasingly prominent wine region with more than 60 vineyards.”
