Anna Boulogne
New Earth P2 Cycle One
0961528

Theory essay: Eating Through Screens

During the New Earth project, we had to pick a material resource and create an approach to the challenge this material is facing. I was immediately most interested in the subject of food, as it is something I love to illustrate. My final work concluded in being an illustrated series of scenarios in which people share food while video chatting remotely.

In the documentary “Digital Food and Foodpairing” by VPRO, Chef Dan Barber talks about our disconnection to how food is produced. It reminded me of how I often get distracted when I’m eating and do not pay attention to the taste and where it came from, this led me to making illustrations about this. I also watched The Rise of Vertical Farming by VPRO, and it made me realise that I am more interested in the social aspect of food rather than the development of new technologies within farming. Watching this was helpful in deciding in what direction I wanted to go.

During our online classes I got very inspired by the project “Volumes” by Marije Vogelzang, which consists of ceramic sculptures that look edible and will prevent people from over-eating. I loved that this work dealt with people’s social behavior around food and it pushed me to go in the same direction. Rirkrit Tiravanija’s work also influenced me. Tiravanija is a Thai artist whose work consists of installations in which people are invited to share a free meal with each other. He cooks and eats with his audience. His work reminded me of the power and simplicity of eating together.

After our first class I made a mind map and concluded that my main interests were the act of eating alone, our disconnection to food and the joy and warmth of cooking and eating together. Sharing food is something that brings people closer, and I decided to focus on this social aspect. I did practical research by making quick illustrations of various scenarios related to sharing food and eating alone.

I did further research by creating a collection of films in which food plays a big role in the relationships of people, for example Tampopo (Juzo Itami, 1985) in which the art of ramen brings people together. As we are in a time right now in which we can not eat and cook with friends and family, I started wondering if there is a way of recreating the feeling of comfort when eating with companions while in isolation.

Afterwards, I made some simple drawings of people eating together while in isolation on video chat. I found this action very interesting as it is something very new and a bit unusual. To research what eating together during a videocall is like, I called a friend and made pancakes while she was eating her lunch. This was really nice and felt natural right away. I really wanted to give her a pancake through our screen, which inspired me to make a series of illustrations in which people eat together while facetiming and share food through their screens.

During the feedback session with Isaac he advised me to try and get my illustrations published in an online magazine or website. I approached the website It’s Nice That, which regularly publishes illustrations, however they have not written back yet.

I ended up with a series of nine illustrations in which various food and drinks are shared through a screen. If I had 10 weeks to work on this project, I would have done more online dinner parties with friends for research and I would have wanted to turn my illustrations into a small publication or zine. I would also turn the illustrations into larger scale drawings and maybe make some larger prints.




Sources from study guide and classes:

Rozinga, Geert, director. The Rise of Vertical Farming. Youtube, VPRO Backlight, 26 May 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOQHwjnOTng&t=2470s.

Schutgens, Marie. Digital Food and Foodpairing. Youtube, VPRO Backlight, 20 Nov. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6VXU1uT57s&feature=youtu.be

Li, Lieke, director. Volumes . Youtube, Marije Vogelzang, 2 May 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIDgzO2aUF0.

My own sources:

Itami, Juzo, director. Tampopo. New Century Producers, Itami Production, 1985.

Stokes, Rebecca. “Rirkrit Tiravanija: Cooking Up an Art Experience.” InsideOut by MoMA, 3 Feb. 2003, 19 May 2019, www.moma.org/explore/inside_out/2012/02/03/rirkrit-tiravanija-cooking-up-an-art-experience/.

Heil, Emily. “Eating Alone, Together: Virtual Dinner Parties Are Helping People Fight Isolation.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 21 Mar. 2020, www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2020/03/21/eating-alone-together-virtual-dinner-parties-are-helping-people-fight-isolation/.

Heil, Emily. “Eating Alone, Together: Virtual Dinner Parties Are Helping People Fight Isolation.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 21 Mar. 2020, www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2020/03/21/eating-alone-together-virtual-dinner-parties-are-helping-people-fight-isolation/.

“The Power of Community Cooking and Eating Together.” Palak Patel, Youtube, TED, 24 Apr. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUlECvmy4Wo&feature=youtu.be.