Eye-catching, thought-provoking and mouth-watering in equal measure, Meat and Potatoes Crawford Art Gallery’s newest exhibition opens across two floors this summer.
Bringing together works by historic and contemporary artists with food as their muse, this significant exhibition, with an extensive programme of accompanying events, opens on 16 July and runs until 6 November.
Meat and Potatoes features an abundance of food-related artworks produced over the last four centuries.
This exhibition draws particular inspiration from the staples of meat, potatoes and bread in the history of food-focused art and our personal diets throughout the ages.
Ranging from still life to video works and installations which consider the politics and concerns that have shaped perspectives on food right up to the present day, it’s well worth the visit.
Works drawn from Crawford Art Gallery’s own collection find a new context when exhibited beside artworks borrowed from other collections.
Work from the Sire Series by Maria McKinney is exhibited for the first time in Cork. The artist’s photographs of bulls adorned with insemination straw sculptures look at the use of genomics in modern cattle breeding, an invitation to visitors to think critically about the impact of human intervention on the natural world.
In addition to the diverse artworks included in Meat and Potatoes, Crawford Art Gallery has commissioned a series of texts.
Potatoes are a provocative symbol of more than just food in Ireland. Deirdre O’Mahony’s The Persistent Return is a film exploration of the political implications of reliance on this particular foodstuff, globally and locally.
Cristin Leach, (Irish radio and television presenter, journalist, and art critic) comments.
Recent worldwide events have again highlighted how fragile the global food supply chains can be, as shown in Abigail O’Brien’s prescient artwork With Bread also featured in the exhibition.
Monika Crowley’s bold graphic style series Domestic also features an evocative rite of passages and tradition passed on from mother to daughter whilst also hinting at the demands of providing for a family.
To accompany the exhibition, Crawford Art Gallery will offer an extensive programme of food-related events throughout the summer and early autumn. Visitors can avail of talks, tours and some surprising activities such as potato growing, creating edible art and viewing Crawford Collection inspired biscuits to name a few.