SEXY FOOD
(4-20 October 2019)
SEXY FOOD is a group exhibition highlighting the new generation of artists working within the field of craft throughout Sweden. The exhibit is based loosely on Homer’s epic The Odyssey, with each of the artists working with a theme or identity from the poem. The themes determine the narrative of the exhibition - temptation, food, disguise and story telling being the 4 components we’ve picked out from The Odyssey to ‘Sexy Food’, the title chosen to reflect the theoretical content we are working with. ‘Sexy Food’ of course alludes to the playful and lavish content of the exhibition whilst also neatly tying up our points of interest from The Odyssey. Food is used in The Odyssey as a major plot point indicating lust, temptation and a lack of self-control; it is the key to the behaviour of the characters in the book. Sex and the power of seduction are continually used in the story as test of will - particularly in the case of the Sirens. Women frequently use their sexuality as a weapon to get what they want, whilst left craving love. Both food and sex are indulgences that frequently cause the story of The Odyssey to stray from its hero’s path. Our exhibition focuses on the ‘distractions’ telling a story, that when we give into temptation and deviate from the narrative not only does the real story emerge but also our motives do too. The Odyssey is Homer’s epic narrative poem from 700BC, it is where the western idea of an Odyssey derives, and the story features the ancient Greek gods and myths that still litter modern popular culture. It is the sequel to Homer’s The Iliad that tells the story of the Trojan War. The Odyssey tells the story of Odysseus’10-year journey to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan War (the focus of The Iliad). During this journey Odysseus, the central character encounters and battles mystical creatures and the wrath of the Greek gods. Our interest in this sparked from The Odyssey lying at the heart of western culture. The Iliad and the Odyssey are the first pieces of western literature that were written down and have defined western culture ever since and is still read and repurposed to this day.
Credits
Furniture design Jacob Stenman
@stonab
