Sweet Art

So this weekend I yet again broke the rules and snuck in some weekday culture by attending a lecture exploring the history of food and art at the V&A.

Now, I'm not talking still life paintings of bowls of fruit, the likes of which we were forced to draw over and over again at school, but the history of food as a medium or tool for art.

Natasha Marks from AVM Curiosities took us through an exciting, if not fast paced, journey through food art and its heritage. From 15th Century sugar sculptures to the future of 3D edible printing it was a heaven for those with a sweet tooth. 

To make it even more interactive we were each given a bag of treats to munch on as we endeavoured to discover more about the history of food installations.  I particularly liked my golden fudge temple which is currently sitting pretty in my room yet to be eaten.

This is the part where sugar lovers should brace themselves, I'm about to tell you something that may shock you. Sugar used to be one of the most expensive ingredients to buy. To put it into perspective a jelly terrine, with its high levels of sugar and elaborate moulds, was worth more than commissioning an artist to create a self-portrait. Makes you think twice about how much sugar you put in your tea.

We blitzed through the medieval period where sugar and food art installations were a status symbol and pulled up at the Victorian era. Now those under the rule of Queen Victoria saw sugar as a necessity and less of an art form, but that's not how sugar and food is perceived today.

There are so many food artists around that's it’s hard to keep a track of them all. Natasha showed us work by the well-known Bompas & Parr, the gingerbread house by Timothy Horn and even the latest creations from the AVM team. I've never wanted to lick a projector slide in a lecture before, but there's a first time for everything.

People may wonder, what is the point of food art? It's not a Rembrandt or a Picasso, but to paraphrase Natasha, art is borrowed time and art is there to be consumed. Why not consume it physically too.

Visit www.avmcuriosities.com to check out all their creations or why not pop by Selfridges and check out their delicious window display.