The Polygon Gallery is welcoming the Canadian premiere of a colourful touring exhibition, Feast for the Eyes: The Story of Food in Photography. With many of us are guilty of “camera eats first” when presented with a plate, Feast for the Eyes tells the history of photography through the enticing lens of food.
Curated by writer Susan Bright and Aperture Foundation’s senior editor Denise Wolff, the exhibition was initially scheduled for 2020, but postponed due the COVID-19 pandemic, the show will be on display from March 4 to May 30, 2021.
Featuring the work of more than 60 of the world’s leading artists from the late 19th century to today, including Guy Bourdin, Man Ray, and Wolfgang Tillmans, the exhibition brings together a mouth-watering assortment of over 100 images from photojournalism to fashion photography, from rare cookbooks to advertising.
“Food is a foundational part of the social fabric of all cultures and nations, and Feast for the Eyes grounds us in the desire to picture moments that bridge us as humans,” says Reid Shier, Director of The Polygon Gallery. “The exhibition documents not only the history of photography through one of the most commonly depicted subjects in visual mediums — food — it also illuminates the shifting outlines of our individual and collective identities through acts of communing, hospitality, and sharing. We are delighted to showcase some of the more provocative images created by renowned artists such as Andy Warhol and Cindy Sherman, and to share how disparate genres of photography have been used to express food’s central, sustaining, role in our lives.”
Feast for the Eyes is thematically divided into three distinct sections:
Still Life pays homage to photography’s earliest inspiration, still-life painting, with a focus on classical subjects and composition. The images demonstrate how photography has both borrowed from and subverted the genre of still-lifes, while showcasing the technical and artistic potential of the photographic medium.
Around the Table examines the social and cultural rituals and traditions around food and community. A special display of both historical and local cookbooks will be showcased adjacent to the section.
Playing With Your Food reveals how food ignites all five of the senses. This section is complemented by a library of rare cookbooks attendees can browse through.
Feast for the Eyes: The Story of Food in Photography includes the works of Nobuyoshi Araki, Nan Goldin, Cindy Sherman, Andy Warhol, and more than 60 renowned artists. On display March 4 to May 30, 2021 at Polygon Gallery, 101 Carrie Cates Court, North Vancouver, the Gallery is open Wednesday to Sunday, admission by donation.