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From Food Paintings to #FoodPorn: The Beauty Behind Food
Admit it, you are one of those who takes pictures of their meals and lament over having to destroy such a beautifully made dish by eating it. You share it on social media and express how incredibly attractive it is to the eyes and stomach. Sharing a food image has become such a huge social norm that #FoodPorn boasts over 280 million posts on Instagram. What is it about food and its aesthetic that makes us want to take pictures and share them? Is it a form of showing status? Surprisingly, we’ll have to go back a few hundred years to see where it all started.
Depictions of food were found on the walls of Egyptian pyramids by archaeologists, who believed that the Egyptians drew food to provide nourishment to the dead. The Egyptians thought the images were magical. Later the Romans and Greeks painted realistic fruit bowls to show off their wealthy status.
Dropping into the era of the Renaissance, a scientific movement began where artists took interest in creating still life object paintings to further their understanding of the world. With a special interest in food, the Dutch Realist artists led the movement.
Such notable art pieces were the Still Life with Fruit, Oysters and Porcelain Bowl by Abraham Mignon, Still Life with Fruit and Lobster by Jan Davidsz de Heem and Still Life with Cheese by Floris Claesz van Dijck. Each showcases an array of food set on a dining table draped in satiny clothe; surrounded by fruity arrangements. It’s like a scene out of a banquet or a wedding that everyone would like to go to.
https://emptyeasel.com/2009/04/16/the-long-history-of-food-in-art/
Who would commission these lavish paintings and where were they displayed? Many of these paintings were done for the wealthy and were adorned in their homes to show off their class and status. These paintings would continue in style until about the 1800s when the depictions went from lobsters and quinces to oranges and apples.
Paul Cezanne was a pioneer in the provincial food still life genre, having adopted the movement with fervor. In his paintings, instead of draped tables with lobsters, he depicted baskets and cracked bowls filled with apples and pears. Even Vincent Van Gogh took a shot at it, with his painting Still Life with Carafe and Lemons.
As we progress to the mid-1950s, we see artists like Andy Warhol and Ralph Goings paint with modern food objects, such as the infamous Campbell soup cans and A-1 sauce bottle. At this point, artists were playing with the idea of light and realism, not so much on beauty and status.
So, what happened with the pretty food? Aesthetic was handed over to chefs, who continuously experiment with not only the palate, but with the eyes. Celebrity chef Suresh Pillai agrees, “It is said that you should first taste the food with your eyes, then comes the nose and finally the mouth.” Many chefs place equal importance on appeal and taste.
According to Popneuro’s research, there are two types of cuisine aesthetic – Classical and Expressive. Classical aesthetic focuses on patterns from the natural world, such as the curve in a seashell. Expressive beauty doesn’t take its cue from nature, it’s more experimental. The study that Popneuro researched found that people thought both aesthetics were equally pretty, yet the Classical seemed healthier since it derived from nature. From the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu to Johnson & Wales, culinary schools provide classes to learn the craft of both food aesthetics and plating (as it suggests, plating is placing the food on the plate and making it presentable).
The emergence of the word FoodPorn originated from a book by Feminist Critic Rosalind Coward, titled Female Desire and it describes creating beautiful meals with the intent of ‘servicing others’ for their enjoyment. This leans more towards sexuality, but FoodPorn now a days is more about how great a dish looks and how it enhances your appetite. An article from the website, ScienceDaily.com, explains how the instant one sees a gorgeous meal, their appetite grows. Not to get too science-y, but it involves a neurosecretory protein hormone called ghrelin, which controls the eating behaviors of an individual.
Besides being a global community of food lovers, we are also social creatures who won’t hesitate to share a picture of a perfect dish. Here’s to getting FoodPorn up to a billions posts.
https://emptyeasel.com/2009/04/16/the-long-history-of-food-in-art/
Blog Post from Museum of Food and Culture
An average of 17.6 veterans die by suicide every single day according to the most recent VA’s National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report (2024).
And there’s a possibility that the figure could be higher, since according to the Operation Deep Dive report by America’s Warrior Partnership (AWP) suicides tend to be underreported. The numbers can be closer to 44 veterans per day.
Being painfully aware of those statistics, the Better Colorado Foundation strives to make those numbers less. By providing a highly trained companion to a veteran in need, it lessens the chance of a soldier committing suicide.
The Better Colorado Foundation is a non-profit dedicated to connecting loving dogs with veterans who have PTSD. They help each veteran find purpose by way of a service dog, who is trained to heal and mitigate symptoms of PTSD. Studies have indicated that there is a 66% reduction of PTSD symptoms when a veteran is paired with a service dog (University of Arizona).
You’ve seen the above video and now know the facts, yet here is another one: the cost of training a dog can exceed $30,000. This is where you come in, donating to the Better Colorado Foundation will get a veteran closer to having a stable life.
With your contribution you’re supporting an organization that:
· Are transparent and trustworthy – know that for every dollar you put in, it will be for the improvement of a veteran’s life.
· Value community first – with events, fundraising and outreach programs the Better Colorado Foundation is continuously building awareness and connecting with people.
· Are led by veterans - Better Colorado Foundation is mostly run by veterans who are living with PTSD and have been partnered with service dogs – you know your donation is going to individuals who know firsthand.
By clicking on the button below and donating you’re impacting on the lives of veterans who were asked so much from them. Connecting them to a loving companion will be a way of saying thank you.
Email Newsletter from The Better Colorado Foundation
INTRODUCTION
“I can resist everything except temptation.” – Oscar Wilde
You feel the hot sun on your slick skin as you stretch out on your towel. A breeze picks up to sooth your body. Everything was planned out for you to relax and enjoy a vacation in Florida. You are on a beach vacation in Miami. You brought with you, your bathing suit, sunblock, hat, and other essentials for the trip. As you lay there, you think, I have thought of everything. Growl Uh, oh sounds like your tummy is telling you it’s time to eat. But where should you go for a great meal? No worries! In this book edition of the series Eat Like a Local, I will give you the tips needed to find yourself a great meal. Whether you want to experience the quintessential foods of Latin Cuisine or the best seafood; you can find it here – in Eat Like a Local-Florida.
Grab your suitcase and appetite as we travel across Florida to reveal its hidden gems of restaurants. Forget about the typical fast-food joints, explore and immerse yourself on what Florida has to offer. Look past the palm trees and sand for delectable food offerings. After you're done with the "hard work" of being a tourist, why not grab a bite to eat using these 50 tips?
blurb from Eat Like a Local - Florida Edition
Dear {{contact.first_name}},
At The Better Colorado Foundation, we know that the toughest battles are fought long after a soldier comes home. PTSD not only changes how they see the world, but it also changes how they live in it.
The Better Colorado Foundation is committed to helping individuals regain independence from their symptoms of PTSD through the use of therapy dogs. These aren't just pets. They are highly trained companions who offer unwavering loyalty.
By creating a nurturing relationship between dog and veteran, we've seen firsthand how the issues of PTSD are significantly lessened. Helping one go from simply surviving to truly thriving.
Take care of yourself or a veteran you know by contacting The Better Colorado Foundation and starting the journey to having a dedicated companion. As part of the program, we will help with the cost, which may include transportation and meals.
Email Newsletter from The Better Colorado Foundation