Cities and Food

 

A recent edition of The Very Short List, (veryshortlist.com) a site that describes itself as “cultural gems from different curators brought to you daily” delivered an enticing title:  "LA through the Lens of Food".  How could I not take the time to read it that?

It turns out that "LA through the Lens of Food" was the title of a seminar and related activities put on by the Foodprint Project (foodprintproject.com). Another new name for me. 

According to their website Foodprint Project is "an exploration of the ways food and cities give shape to one another". Founded by Nicola Twilley and Sarah Rich, the project is punctuated by a series of events in physical space.  Further,  "foodprints look beyond the plate to the spatial, political, cultural and economic forces that shape the way we eat". 

Fascinating way to think about a city.  The titles of the sessions at the LA seminar, held at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art carried such unusual titles as Culinary Cartography, Edible Archaeology, Feast, Famine and Other Scenarios. 

http://www.veryshortlist.com/food/daily.cfm/review/2342/Other_art/Foodprint-LA/

But aside from the general topic, this interesting way of thinking about a city, what intrigued me was that this is already an international project.  Events have been held in the US (LA, Denver, New York City) and Canada (Toronto).  How far, I wonder, will it spread?  Will the Foodprint Project follow in the path of Ghost Bikes (ghostbikes.org), Fete de la Musique (fetedelamusique.culture.fr), Play Me I’m Yours/Street Piano (streetpianos.com) and become truly global?  Will it move around the world, inspiring, educating and engaging people across borders and cultures?  Let's watch and see what happens.