El Segundo Museum of Art’s exhibit “Eat” depicts the food industry with colorful artwork

By Andonia Goergen

Staff Writer

The El Segundo Museum of Art’s newest exhibit does much more than make visitors hungry. “Eat” uses various types of artwork to deliver powerful messages about food.

“Eat” is a must-see exhibit that not only interests viewers with its unique array of art, but leaves them questioning whether or not they really understand and value the food they eat. It focuses on the art behind food and the entire food industry, including the shocking production and preparation of the everyday food items people choose to eat.

Organized by the team at ESMoA, “Eat” features 72 works, all from different artists and spanning from ancient times to the 21st century. The exhibit is composed of sculptures, paintings and videos all related to food, keeping viewers engaged in the wide variety of art pieces.

The exhibit is an interactive experience for viewers. Attendees may post their favorite restaurant on a map or share their favorite food experience on a post-it note. Additionally, a snack stand located in the gallery offers a unique variety of snacks that guests can try. The gallery also includes books pertaining to the topic of food, such as “Eat, Pray, Love,” making it nearly impossible for viewers to become bored.

One of the gallery’s largest and most prominent works is “Das letze Abendmahl” by Matthias Galvez. The oil painting is a modern take on Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” depicting  Jesus and the apostles in a frantic and abstract scene bending over a table filled with food. The piece is an interesting mixture of a classic painting with a modern twist. Galvez also placed bars usually seen in video games to display the health of the character above each apostle in his painting, connecting the subjects to today’s video game and entertainment culture.

Karla Diaz’s “Prison Gourmet: Tamale Preparation” is one of the exhibit’s few multimedia pieces. Diaz recreated recipes produced by those serving time in California prisons. Diaz compiled the recipes from a book called “Prison Gourmet.” Her interest in the prison food system in California led her to create this 2016 video, which shows visitors the terrible food prisoners are forced to eat every day, causing viewers to sympathize for them.

ESMoA’s latest exhibition delivers depth and originality, despite its seemingly simple topic. Each piece causes viewers to ponder the role of food in life, ultimately creating a powerful display.

“Eat” opened on Feb. 28 and will be at the El Segundo Museum of Art through May 18. The exhibit is open to the public Thursday through Saturday and admission is free.