FOOD DESIGN WEEK

FOOD DESIGN WEEK is a project that provides a platform for all designers and creators related to food and dining. Chewed over, mulled, partially digested, partly regurgitated, somewhere between impeccable taste and shocking tastelessness; FOOD DESIGN WEEK is a creative, experimental, innovative research space.

Along with Quirine Korteling, we were hosted by the European Cultural Centre in Venice, where we will organised VENICE FOOD DESIGN in the first week of February 2018. We like to show current developments, thoughts, ideas and even dreams in Food Design and therefore we bring together an international group of Food Designers, Artists, Performers and Chefs from different cultural backgrounds in different stages of their careers.

The VENICE FOOD DESIGN Week (1-7 February 2018) comprises of two parts: an exhibition as an open platform for creators during the day; and evenings hosting an exclusive, innovative food design dinner. These BLACKOUT dinners were designed by Anna Keville Joyce from AKJ Foodstyling and prepared by chef Gabriel Serrero.

Food, in its scarcity or abundance, has always been a primary concern. Essential for human survival, an expression of culture and cultural values and often a subject for artists, the importance of food has never faded. Yet we can distinguish two developments in contemporary society:

1. Through food photography, documentaries, self-documentation, blogs and social media, the food we make or purchase has become a method of self-expression. So-called ‘foodies’, amateur photographers, Instagram hobbyists and online amateur reviewers find their importance, identity even, through food.

2. The world’s supply of food is running out.

VANITAS is a pop-up exhibition that explores abundance, vanity and the self-destructive nature of the contemporary food industry. Innovative creators and dining/food designers are invited to explore these topics through their performances, installations, films or objects.

Running for one week, VANITAS also includes an exclusive innovative dinner on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, designed by one of the participants, for which visitors can subscribe in advance. Running in the context of the Venice Carnival, these dinners are an immersive and festive food design event.

A selection of photos of the FOOD DESIGN WEEK 2018 can be found below. A full overview of all exhibition photos can be found here, and all photos from the BLACKOUT dinner night here.