A new food-themed exhibit is opening at The Richmond Art Gallery (RAG) exploring the connection between ethnicity, culture, colonialism and community.
'FOODWAYS', running from Oct. 19 and Dec. 31, will feature recent artwork by leading contemporary artists, showcasing the diverse world of food and culture and showing the importance of food in shaping cultural identities and social interactions.
The presentation will focus on artwork from the 2010s to present, with photographs, videos, prints, ceramics and art installations.
The opening reception will take place on Saturday Oct. 19 between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., and it will include an informal tour of the 'FOODWAYS' exhibition with RAG curator Zoë Chan and featured artists.
“Food connects us all, transcending boundaries of culture, geography, and time,” said Chan.
Artist Derya Akay will then host the activation of their installation, looking at the inspiration and thoughts that go into the creation of a restaurant menu. The activation will consist of a selection of Armenian food from Lamajoun Restaurant.
The exhibit includes ‘an inheritance’ by Kosisochukwu Nnebe, which is a six-part photo series depicting the process of producing poison made from cassava – a common root vegetable in the Caribbean sometimes weaponized by enslaved people against their colonial masters.
Shellie Zhang’s Bigger and Better Than Ever, a neon light art piece responding to a 1934 incident in Toronto where businessmen protested against immigrant-run produce stores on the sidewalk.
“From the meals we prepare to the cultural rituals we observe, 'FOODWAYS' invites us to explore these connections and reflect on the powerful role that food plays in our everyday lives,” said Chan.
The exhibit will have artwork from Derya Akay, Sara Angelucci, Jesse Birch, Patrick Cruz, Ellie Kyungran Heo, Kosisochukwu Nnebe, Karen Tam, Tania Willard, Paul Wong, Marlene Yuen and Shellie Zhang.
A pop-up exhibition ‘Hong Wo’, in partnership with the City of Richmond Archives, and ‘Collection Close-up,’ a piece of art from the city's permanent art collection, will also be on display.
For more information visit Richmond Art Gallery’s FOODWAYS and events page.
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