As a devout food lover, I believe stories about food are some of the best stories. There is a human element in food that unites regardless of borders, revives regardless of time, and rejuvenates regardless of pain. Food is bigger than just caloric intake and the ever-evolving food pyramid. Food is life, sustenance, and story. Through CAPTURED: an exploration of food & culture, I am pleased to share some of these food stories with you.
CAPTURED: an exploration of food & culture celebrates the richness of food. As I explore the intersection of food and culture with images ranging from the fish markets of Lithuania to pizza shops in Sweden to the midway of the county fair, my goal is to foster awareness of the connection and community found in the food around us. What began as a fascination with shakshuka developed into a desire to further investigate the emotion and story surrounding our interaction with food.
Two years ago, I received a grant from the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council to develop and exhibit this body of work. CAPTURED: an exploration of food & culture launched at the Mezzanine Gallery in Dawson, MN from August 16 – October 25, 2018 and was at the SMAC Gallery in Marshall, MN May 9 – June 28, 2019. You can see the full exhibit in digital form below.
As you take in the images and essays in CAPTURED: an exploration of food & culture, think about the food surrounding you. Think of its color and character, the way it looks on the plate, how it makes you feel, and what stories you would add to your own culinary biography.
» Click on an image to see the accompanying essay.
Elisabeth A. Fondell is a writer, potter, and food enthusiast living in the rural Midwest. She is currently working on Food Stories From Houston County, a project documenting stories of culinary resilience in Minnesota’s southeastern-most county through the Crystal Creek Citizen-Artist Residency.
Elisabeth began focusing on place-based food writing after receiving a grant from the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council to create a body of work celebrating the intersection of food and culture. See that exhibit here.
