Fish that are fed chicken? Oh, yes. Shocked? Disgusted? Not bothered? The true madness comes when Dan Barber explains the beautiful alternatives available to an industry built on the foundations of insanity.
I'm constantly searching for beautiful solutions to complex problems, both inside and outside of design. One of my ongoing battles is the often solitary nature of freelance work. So, when im not working with clients, travelling across the country or delving into personal projects I occasionally dip my toes into the world of food. I love the fast paced pressurised environments, the planning, preparation, crafting of flavours and presentation of food.
It wasnt until I began to learn the art of cooking and all of its elements: ingredients, nutrients and techniques that I found a true love for food. One of my discoveries at this time was Dan Barber, a chef and scholar from N.Y. This talk opened my mind to the unseen absurdities of our current farming techniques and the possibilities of a food system that replenishes, not only us, but the environment around us. Sterling stuff Dan.
(BELOW) Artwork inspiration: T.E.D Talk - How I Fell In Love With A Fish - by DAN BARBER
This work is a piece I use to raise awareness of the issues and possible solutions that Dan presents in this T.E.D Talk. I placed a lone skeleton of a fish, with the skull of a chicken, onto an intricate background of patterns and rythms fighting against it. The fossilised appearance of the skeleton appears to be swimming against the energetic environment of shapes and colour. These two elements are design to conflict with each other, very much like the chicken skull is designed to conflict with the fish skeleton. Both are an attempt to create intrigue in the observer by presenting a certain set of circumstances that raise more questions than they answers.