FOOD – CULTURE – TRANSFORMATION

Mixed Media – Degree Project 2019

Advised by Hammett Nurosi

I believe that one can learn so much about the history and culture of a country through its food. Since the old time, we have been exchanging information and cultures through different countries, and food is the result of that. My degree project explores ways food are being evolved and transformed through the influences of different cultures. I have broken down the thesis into 5 small projects:

COEXISTENCE – GLOBALIZATION – IMMIGRATION – ETYMOLOGY – AMERICANIZATION

Project Trailer

COEXISTENCE

Motion Graphic, Poster

A series of motion posters represent the same food that exists in a different part of the world. Due to colonization and trading, certain recipe and cuisine were passed through to different countries, which diffused with its own culture and became its own cuisine. The posters represent the similarity and difference of the appearance of the food through the use of typography, size, and color.

GLOBALIZATION

Web Design

A website project that questions the original meaning of Sushi vs the world’s meaning of Sushi. The website contains different Sushi around the world that not even exist in Japan, the origin place of Sushi. One can see how diverse Sushi became from its original form: its appearance, form, and ingredients by selecting different ingredients and form tags. The website provides places where the Sushi were invented and other information about the making of them and ingredients. Are these Sushi considered Sushi for you? Or are they even considered as Sushi in Japan?

IMMIGRATION

Print, Map, Menu

Chinese has immigrated to different places in the world. Merging recipe from that culture and using what is available in the country, they have created dishes that later became native food of that country. This project, Archive of Overseas Chinese Cuisine, contains a map, restaurant signs and Chinese food menu from the top 8 countries with the highest Chinese immigrants.  The map represents different parts of China that the Chinese immigrated from. The collage of restaurant signs shows the similarity and contrast of aesthetic of different cultures. Lastly, the menu contains common Chinese dishes that all of the cultures share.

ETYMOLOGY

Interactive Poster

Interactive posters project exploring how the names of food are being transformed through different cultures and how the meaning of the word has changed from its origin word. By saying food names, one can interact with the work to see new posters of different foods.

*Play with sound on

Try it yourself at this LINK
(https://editor.p5js.org/nanatejapai/present/fOTjM3_G5)
For next poster, say “next”

AMERICANIZATION

Packaging

“As American as Apple Pie,” the saying goes. However, how often do American eat Apple pie? Apple pie did not even invent in America. Today’s food that is considered “American” were once “Foreign” and “Ethnic” like french fries and hot dog. So what is American food?  “American Meal” is a meal set contains that Americanized ethnic foods that are so different from its original form and has become a staple of American palette. The foods are Pizza*, Sushi*, Taco*, General Tso’s Chicken*, and Fortune Cookie*. A star or “*” (asterisk symbol) after the words refer to information or disclaimer that they are “Products of America”

Take-away package