More artist research

I have had it suggested to read the extract 'Virginia Woolfe- To the Lighthouse (dragged)' by one of my tutors. I like how in the text food is used as a simple device within the text to bring, what I assume to be, the main ensemble of characters together to further the plot. It seems like the same idea and response I've gotten about food is mirrored in text like this, that food, at it's very simplest can bring people together, sometimes even in unexpected combinations etc. which brings an interesting dynamic to just what could be achieved using food.

Maybe in the future I could expand on this idea by experimenting with things like open-invitation dinner parties? Could have interesting results as there would be no way of knowing the amount of people coming, so depending on the space used it could be a very awkward, event in a large setting with few people. Or it could go the opposite way and end up with a crowd of people packed together in a small space. Obviously this would change the dynamic of the actions and depending on how the food was made could have an impact on the amount people get and how this would affect their perception of the event.
 Or simply setting up a table somewhere with the promise of food and seeing what kind of people would sit down and how these people interact.

After reading the following article (link) that begins by asking the question of 'is it art or is it just eating?'. I think that with the kind of events talked about and what I have touched on above with the idea of using food as a performance, the act of eating can be described as art given the right context. I would say the main goal of almost every artist, on a very basic level, is to affect people. And by using food in the ways talked about I definitely think that by making these 'events' and putting the spotlight upon the act of eating it becomes a form of art. Also, by using this information and either mirroring it or distorting it back to the viewer in some kind of way it can become a really interesting look into society as a whole, as this is something that everybody does. 

With my work I'm planning to look more into the individuals on a personal level but hopefully when I person flicks through my book of images they will maybe see something of themselves in the paintings or at the very least get them thinking 'what would my page look like?' or 'what is my relationship with food?'

I also found this article quite interesting (link), it involves the artist Jeanne Van Heeswijk and her involvement with the '2up2down/homebaked' project in the Anfield area of Liverpool. I found this personally interesting because Liverpool are actually the football team I support and having been to the Anfield area many times I've seen first hand just how run down and desolate it has been ever since the club and council agreed their deal. What I like about this project is that this idea, based entirely around food, seems to have really helped to invigorate the locals and give them some prospects, and more importantly hope for the future. This shows the kind of power that food can have on us, not just individually, but in society as a whole.