As people's palates have become more globalized, they've forgotten where their food has come from. For modern artists, the response to this was contemporary cuisine art. The purpose of this artwork is to highlight the individual cultures that developed the food so many people enjoy.
For interior decorators, this art form is a unique way to celebrate their culture within the home, as well as add some delicious flair to their decor style.
Contemporary cuisine art can hint at its culinary and cultural roots in several different ways. Usually this form of food art either incorporates traditional artistic styles of the region that the food was developed in or is so iconic of the culture that it merely needs to be depicted in order for the viewer to recognize it. However, for many artists combining these two methods is the most expedient way for them to develop their vision into a finished piece of art. For example, in the work 'Sushi' by Angela Ferrante, the artist uses a traditional Japanese dish and surrounds it with Oriental symbols, such as chopsticks, wasabi, and colors such as red or brown, as well as using typography that mimics Japanese script.
However, some artists choose to use very subtle means when creating their contemporary cuisine art. This can be done by incorporating landscapes, national colors, or some other method to where the culture that the food was developed in is as intertwined with the work as the piece of cooking itself. In the painting, 'Terrace at Vitiano', it depicts a picnic lunch of wine, cheese, and grapes while the Italian countryside surrounds it. These objects look so natural in this environment that it suggests that this is a traditional and culturally accepted meal in Italy. Likewise, in the work, 'Chiles I' by Geoff Allan, the traditional flat style of modern Mexican artists is used to depict the jalapeno peppers in his work, and the color scheme, green, red, black, and sandy beige, hint at the uniquely festive culture that this vegetable was developed in.
