From 2009 to 2015, I undertook a web-based research / writing / cooking project titled Feasting on Art. At the outset, the project focused on still life paintings and other food-related artworks to explore the intersections between food and art. I described the project as “an innovative translation of painting to plate,” and by taking cues from the ingredients depicted in each artwork, I composed recipes as edible adaptations of classic still lifes. Alongside a recipe, each post combined research into the artist and artwork and history about the cuisine or dish to produce a broad survey of the role of food in the history of art and gastronomic traditions from around the world. As the project evolved, I collaborated with other scholars, artists, and food writers to produce posts on a range of topics from colours to poetry.
Between 2012-2013, the project mainly focused on contemporary art in response to food art exhibitions I curated at Brenda May Gallery in Sydney. I featured artworks from each exhibition and invited artists to submit recipes connected to their work, notable examples being Elizabeth Willing’s Chow Mien and Christine Turner’s Anzac Biscuits. The project was an important catalyst in directing my research focus into food-based artwork and concluded when I began my PhD at UNSW. Feasting on Art was also instrumental in developing my research methodology as I realised instruction-based food art in my home kitchen by following a similar process (see Futurists – Cubist Vegetable Patch, Alison Knowles – Salad, and Rirkrit Tiravanija – Curry Paste). This project archive includes links to the published excerpts and photographs from Feasting on Art, a selected bibliography of media coverage, and a complete list of posts associated with the project.
PUBLISHED EXCERPTS
“Cheeseboard with marinated artichokes and spicy cherry chutney.” Christian Science Monitor, 15 Oct 2010. Web.
“Cinco de Mayo: Shrimp tacos with spring onion salsa.” Christian Science Monitor, 1 May 2012. Web.
“Color Red – Claude Monet – Steak Tartare.” COLOURlovers, 12 November 2010. Web.
“Corn fritters with roasted peppers, cilantro, and feta.” Christian Science Monitor, 15 Oct 2010. Web.
“Cozinhar com restos de abóbora de Halloween.” Metro Portugal, no. 2183, 30 October 2014, 13. Print.
“Croissant French Toast.” Christian Science Monitor, 25 December 2010. Web.
“Cucumber finger sandwiches.” Christian Science Monitor, 7 March 2012. Web.
“In the Kitchen With: Megan Fizell’s Pear Tart.” Design*Sponge, 21 January 2011. Web.
“Feasting on Art: Frittata with kale, tomato, and chorizo.” Christian Science Monitor, 12 June 2012. Web.
“Feasting on Art: Grilled corn.” Christian Science Monitor, 28 June 2012. Web.
“Feasting on Art: Slow-roasted beets.” Christian Science Monitor, 29 May 2012. Web.
“Feasting on Art: smoked trout smørrebrød and Gustave Courbet.” Christian Science Monitor, 21 Mar 2013. Web.
Feasting on art. Vol. 1, issue 1. Sydney: Zine (edition of 20), 2012. Print.
“French toast with garlic and herbs.” Christian Science Monitor, 6 May 2011. Web.
“From palette to plate.” Appetite, April 2012, 62-69. Print.
“Lefse Potato Pancakes, Van Gogh, and Grandparents.” The Kitchn, 23 December 2009. Web.
“Manet’s Almond Cake with Grapes and Peaches Guest Post from Megan Fizell of Feasting On Art.” The Kitchn, 25 May 2009. Web.
“Meatless Monday: Hot and Sour Lime Soup.” Christian Science Monitor, 7 March 2011. Web.
“Old-fashioned molasses cookies.” Christian Science Monitor, 14 Dec 2011. Web.
“Orange honey madeleines.” Christian Science Monitor, 27 September 2012. Web.
“Paul Cézanne tribute: chocolate ginger cake with simmered oranges.” Christian Science Monitor, 19 Jan 2011.
“Pop up with some Pop Art cakes.” Swide Magazine, 26 Nov 2010. Web.
“Pork and chipotle sliders.” Christian Science Monitor, 28 May 2011. Web.
“Ravioli caprese.” Christian Science Monitor, 11 November 2011. Web.
“Retro prawn cocktail.” Christian Science Monitor, 20 September 2012. Web.
“Roasted Brussels sprouts with lemon and Parmesan.” Christian Science Monitor, 15 May 2012. Web.
“Roasted Potato Salad.” Christian Science Monitor, 20 October 2010. Web.
“Salt and vinegar sweet potato fries.” Christian Science Monitor, 2 December 2010. Web.
“Steak Salad.” Christian Science Monitor, 10 November 2010. Web.
“Stuffed eggplant, inspired by Henri Matisse.” Christian Science Monitor, 11 Nov 2013. Web.
The blog is richly creative and educational, with each post providing a very palatable side dish of art history. . . While her savoury dishes are historically accurate and authentic, many will be wowed by the sweet things she creates, the fabulous geometric Mondrian pound cake, colourful, circular Hirst cineole cupcakes, and Warhol-esque tomato soup cake.
– Jane Brocket, “All consuming.” The Guardian Weekend, 4 August 2012, p. 44 (web)
PHOTOGRAPH REPRODUCTIONS (selected)
Biggs, Fiona, ed. The Curry Bible, 6-7. Chester: Marks and Spencer Plc; Exclusive Editions Publishing Ltd, 2010. [reproduction of photograph: Enchilada spices, 2009]. Print.
“Easy on the Eyes.” Parade (insert for The Bulletin Daily), 5 August 2012, 15. [reproduction of photograph: Onion rings, 2009]. Print.
Gray, Meredith. “Your Recipe for Perfect Hair!” Seventeen, March 2011, 111 [reproduction of photograph: Egg, 2009]. Print.
Roque, Raquel. Cocina latina: el sabor del mundo latino, cover image. New York: C.A. Press, Penguin Group, 2013. [reproduction of photograph: Enchilada spices, 2009]. Print.
MEDIA (selected)
“Artist’s Palate.” Virgin Blue Voyeur #111, October 2010, 141. Print.
Barbour, Evan. “Life Imitating Art.” Fine Cooking, 14 June 2010. Web.
Bennett, Jennifer. “Art that’s good enough to eat.” Wentworth Courier, 16 December 2009, 30-31. Print.
Birnbaum, Molly. “Good Enough to Eat.” ARTNews, September 2009, 40. Print.
Brocket, Jane. “All consuming.” The Guardian Weekend, 4 August 2012, 44-46. Print.
“Feasting on Art.” Food52, 3 March 2011. Web.
“Feasting on Art.” MiNDFood, May 2010, 152. Print.
“Feasting on Art.” SBS Food network, 15 June 2011. Web.
Fleischaker, Emily. “The Linkery 03.03.10.” Bon Appetit, 3 March 2010. Web.
Jio, Sarah. “Breakfast At Your Desk.” Glamour Magazine, 17 December 2009. Web.
Kaur, Karanjeet. “Eat your art out.” Time Out Bengaluru, 7-20 June 2013, 19. Print.
Krueger, Ron. “Flint native shares art of food in new blog.” The Flint Journal, 4 September 2009, D4. Print.
Lee, Robyn. “Feasting on Art, a Food Blog of Fine Art, Photography, and Recipes.” Serious Eats, 15 April 2009. Web.
Libuda, Klas. “50 Kochrezepte von Cara Nicoletti: Speisekarte der Weltliteratur.” Rheinische Post, 23 Aug 2017. Web.
“Making a meal of it.” mX News, 3 May 2010, 5. Print.
Messala, Luciana. “Piet Mondrian.” Revista Stile no. 44, 2016, 22. Print.
Riley, Gillian. “art, food in.” In The Oxford Companion to Food, by Alan Davidson, edited by Tom Janie, 39. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014. Print.
Ryan, Laura. “Arts Monday.” Eastside Radio 89.FM, 21min: 22sec; 7 September 2009. Radio.
“Sites we Love: Feasting on Art.” Saveur, 1 March 2012. Web.
Wan, Ren. “Eyes on Food.” Antipasto 11 (2013): 10-15. Print.
Yemma, John. “Foodie nation: Why we’re in the kitchen.” Christian Science Monitor, 9 July 2011. Web.
