Latino Arts’ “Tasting Cultures”

Pinning down the significance of food to a people is challenging, but when the whole of Latin culture is included, it’s nearly impossible. Still, this hasn’t stopped the Latino Arts Gallery from taking an honest shot.

Tasting Cultures: The Arts of Latino Foodways (through July 21) explores the personal, social, and spiritual impact of food on one of the most expansive cultures in the world.

Comprised of works in all forms of media, Tasting Cultures gives visual meaning to the old adage, “you are what you eat.” The statement goes even further, including non-edible commodities reflective of the colonialization of Latin peoples throughout the course of time. Paintings, photographs, sculptures, and prints create an interesting commentary on cultural identity and a people’s history from the context of sustenance and sustainability.

Traditional Latino works are often bold and surprising; full of vibrant color, less-than-subtle movement, and the sincerity of humble objects. The show makes the most of these characteristics by incorporating raw, rough shapes in conjunction with organic forms while striking a balance between the bright and aged, the modern and traditional. My favorites included an altar paying homage to maize (a common theme in the art work of indigenous groups in North and Central America), sculptures formed of chocolate and wax, and photo-transfers using giant tobacco leaves.

Other works included mixed media displays representing the food and clothing of migrant workers, the crops they tend, and the bees that pollinate. Paintings and photographs drew the connection between food and culture more directly. The artists statements are written in English and Spanish, allowing the viewer to take in the significance of pieces within the context of the artist’s own experience, and what it means to be connected to a group of people by shared heritage, experience and understanding.

Because much of Latin cultures is a rich blend of indigenous peoples and their oppressors, some of the strongest traits from both sides appear side by side, preserved through the arts. The dialog continues, and is opened up as visual commentary that requires no common tongue, as it refers to a common experience.

Of course, one’s cultural lens will inform the way these pieces are received which, in turn, will translate into each individual’s understanding of the collection. With that in mind, come to the show without expectations, and take in each piece individually before making any judgments or jumping to conclusions. The commentary of this show is about self-determination and direct responses to that which sustains both the culture and the individual.

Tasting Cultures: The Arts of Latino Foodways will be on display at the Latino Arts Gallery through July 21, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The suggested donation for the exhibit is $1.00. The Latino Arts Gallery is located inside the main building of the United Community Center campus at 1028 S. 9^th Street.

*Cover image from Taco de Ojo (Del Tlayoli a la Tlaxacalli y a Comer Tlacopan…) by Ireri Topete.