The Transplant
Creating an edible link between art and gastronomy, artist Kora Moya Rojo has developed a series of paintings accompanied by a vegetarian tapas dish. Fruits and vegetables render each other in their own scenarios, referencing the dishes served on the table. Influenced by her motherland (Spain) and her adoptive country (UK), the menu symbolises the journey from one place to another, the transitory space between embracing new cultures while holding onto original cultural values and traditions.
The four paintings for the project “The Transplant” were created in tandem with each recipe. The artworks themselves were painted using oil and acrylic on canvas; whereas, for crafting their edible counterparts, methods such as gelification, pickling, curing and maceration were applied. In the four-course menu, a warm colour palette is the common thread amongst the dishes, contrasting with the sweetness of the tomatoes, the earthiness of beetroots and the sharpness of lemons.
From food drawings on the walls of Egyptian pyramids; passing through banquet-inspired Greek or Roman mosaics and frescos, to the lavish still life paintings of the Dutch golden age, food has always played a significant role in art history. It also has a symbolic, social and political undertone, often connecting to themes such as religion, wealth, class, and sexuality.
In the same way that a combination of colours transforms into different tones as they blend, flavours start evolving as heat cooks and spices season them. This medley of motions turns into a sensory dance, where sight meets taste and vice versa.
Food’s nature, unlike the paintings, is ephemeral. If it’s not consumed, it spoils. To remedy the fleeting aspect that characterises it, the artist has documented the step-by-step process of each dish. For every acquired artwork, a recipe will be provided along with the list of ingredients, measurements and methods. This way, the painting can be recreated in an edible form as many times as desired.
A conversation is born between the recipe and the artwork, where the temporary becomes enduring and the art is able to be consumed.