A couple of fantastic articles

Both of these articles use a really interesting digital interface, incorporating the text with images/ videos/ animations/ links. I think this is a fascinating new direction for journalism, turning an article into a more visually immersive and interactive experience.

'It's Not Climate Change, It's Everything Change' by Margaret Atwood

'How will we fill 9 billion bowls by 2050?'

Development 713 "Ethics and Governance in International Development"

So far this semester I've been leading a double life...
Most of the time I'm at elam as usual, working away, making art, drinking too much coffee, etc. etc.
But once a week I've been skipping class to spend my Tuesday mornings in an obscure little seminar room in the Arts building, sitting in on classes for a postgraduate course in Development Studies. Who knew that such a thing existed? I didn't. And the people who take it can't even tell me what this degree means. From what I gather it seems to mean 'systems', in a really general sense of the word. The university website sums it up like so: 'The theoretical approach seeks to understand why and how societies, regions and communities change to improve quality of life. The more applied focus is on how governments, NGOs, international donors and other development agents can facilitate such change.' I.e. really awesome interesting stuff.
And there you have it. For a couple of hours each week, I'm not Ali the fine arts student - instead, I'm doing a bad job of pretending to be a Development Studies student. There are only about 15 other people studying development at postgraduate level, so they all know each other already and knew straight away that I wasn't one of them. 
This particular course is about food systems (and water, and energy.) Since this is exactly what I research somewhat obsessively in my spare time, this class has been a chance to get the facts straight and unleash my inner nerdy know-it-all. I've been asked 'are you SURE you're not actually taking this course?' and when I confirm that yes, I'm a fugitive elam student and not actually enrolled in this paper, the question is 'Why not??'
I don't know, and they're right, this subject is totally up my alley, maybe I should transfer? (Might be a bit late in the game, though.)

The professor, Andreas Neef, came to see the Food? exhibition and got in touch with us curators via email 'Here is some information about my course DEVELOP 713 which includes a few classes on food. If you (and/or your friend Alison) are interested to audit a few classes, you are welcome to come to the class next Tuesday. I attach the syllabus and some material for your information.' -> Neither Jane nor Dominique ended up going though. They missed out, big time. Between the links Andreas provided and the handouts and recommended readings from the classes, and discussions with Andreas and other students, I've been overwhelmed with information to help with my research & essay. Can't believe my luck!!

Welcome to the World

The following pages are scanned from 'Yes Naturally: how art saves the world'

“How can we humans establish enduring relationships with the world around us, in which not just human beings, but also nonhuman actors, play an active role? After all, with every step we take, with every action we undertake, we come in close contact with our environment; we continuously influence different bodies, cultures, ecosystems. The worldwide food crisis, climate change and the decline in biodiversity as results of capitalist privatisation and the ‘free market’ demonstrate that the social and ecological worlds are inextricably intertwined. Moreover, these recent and urgent phenomena reveal a disproportionate burden. In a world of social and ecological injustice, it is especially the people from lower social classes, ‘developing’ countries and sensitive ecosystems that pay the price for capitalist progress. In some instances their very survival is threatened. Think, for example, how much indigenous knowledge of the beneficial effects of plant species transitioned via an oral tradition for centuries has been lost because the habitats of these plant species have been destroyed. Also, research into the rising suicide rates among Indian farmers indicates that this dramatic phenomenon is rooted in a complex combination of social and economic factors. Among them, the Green Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s - in which traditional organic farming methods were replaced by mechanistic, production-enhancing techniques such as chemical fertilisers and genetically modified crops - is thought to have contributed to the increase in suicides, due to higher costs yet lower yields.

Yes Naturally aims to show us that social justice and ecological justice are inseparably intertwined. This more inclusive take on justice is based on a pragmatic ethos centred on taking responsibility for the consequences of our actions. The dominant ideology of profit seeking and technological process must make way for an engaging aesthetics that promotes care, responsibility and the interactive process.

The discussion about taking socioecological responsibility in regard to our actions is a theme that inspires many social engaged artists. The artists involved in Yes Naturally are, in their own way, working to investigate and expose social and ecological injustices, and - where possible - to restore the disrupted equilibrium. With their work, these artists acknowledge the interrelated nature of socio-ecological realities. They focus on the local within a global context, devoting particular attention to the community and everyday life."

p 137

Documentation week 22: edamame pattern

A result of my conundrum over whether to use green or red prints on the mouse trap works.

Thinking a lot lately about optics, optical illusions, the 'mechanical eye' vs the human eye, printmaking/filmic 'flatness' and 3-dimensionality - i.e. the difference between an x-ray image and actual 3D object being scanned; again the dichotomy of food choices - soy in particular, as a supposed healthy/sustainable superfood and simultaneously a health nightmare and corrupt industry... anyway this is just a drawing really:

that came as a result of these initial patterns:

"Redamame." Hur hur.

Documentation, week 22: plastic bag prints (from week 18)

As Judy recommended in my mid year report I have been experimenting with printing on different surfaces. Starting with plastic bags - the original idea that led to these works.
This was about 5 weeks ago, but I have had a lot of momentum in my project since (with the food show, etc) and haven't had time to get around to posting these images until now.

an attempt at the orange-yellow colour of biosecurity-scanned organic materials

corn and soy - 2 of the most commonly GM-ed crops (others include cotton, wheat and rice)

a more red colour, red=danger...

fluro yellow-green, radioactivity...

testing ink mixes to replicate the colours on the 'new world' bags

on the reverse of the floor bag; can you see the beans printed over the 'new world' logo? I thought the 4 green stripes (cut off by the red 'NW' band) looked like soy beans...

red corn over 'new world' - interested in the dystopia/utopia connotations of the name, 'new world'...

the previous images were printed with the bag stretched out on the textile printing table - the above image was not 'stuck' to the surface so there were some printerly, textural imperfections...

this looked interesting from the other side, faintly showing through behind the text

printing the corn over the other 'new world' label - not really visible

different 'weights' of ink

using the stencil from the grocery bags

conceptual relevance: '100% degradable bag'
(technically all plastic bags are degradable... it just takes thousands of years)

I think George was right in saying that the image is invisible. It's not at all clear enough that these are fruits and vegetables, they get lost in the colour/complexity.

grapes printed on a bottle bag

New Scientist thinks eco-artists should take over from the scientists!

Some readings on sustainability and health

"What is a sustainable healthy diet?" Tara GarnettFood Climate Research Network April 2014

...if demand can be moderated, then an alternative scenario may be preferred. Here cereal crops are grown only for human consumption and farm animals are confined to grazing on pasture or consuming byproducts. This „livestock for resource efficiency‟ scenario could yield genuine ecosystem benefits but the amount of meat and dairy products available for consumption will be low....the more of an animal one is prepared to eat, the fewer animals are needed for a given quantity of meat. Such meat will include both cuts and organs that are low in fat – liver, kidneys, lean muscle – as well as fattier parts that are processed with added salt to improve palatability – sausages, mince, burgers and nuggets. This suggests a potential trade off between resource efficiency and nutritional quality.
While simple answers are not possible, what is clear is that an environmentally sustainable level of meat production will be substantially lower than the norm for high income consumers today. 

One thing is clear: the food system today is unsustainable, whether defined in narrow environmental terms or more broadly to include socio-economic dimensions.
Something needs to be done, as most people acknowledge. There is growing recognition that a shift towards „sustainable diets‟ is one important approach – although this recognition is by no means widespread. At this stage however, definitions are multiple and there is no unanimous agreement of just what such a diet might look like on a plate, as it were.
Such a diet may compromise on certain nutritional ideals but it certainly represents a significant improvement on the quality of the average British diet today. However not everyone likes compromises. Disagreements are likely to continue as to whether nutritional guidance should prioritise societal over individual objectives; the needs of people today and in this country, over generations tomorrow and in other countries; the legitimacy of measures such as GM and fortification strategies in compensating for deficits; and the relative importance assigned to non-nutritional determinants of health. Critically, there will be strong disagreement as to whether people can actually be persuaded to eat like this, and if persuasion is not possible, what level of coercion (through prices, regulations and so forth) might be legitimate or effective.
Moving beyond a narrow environmental focus, we know far less about the complex relationship between nutritional objectives, environmental sustainability and our other social and economic goals. This is partly because most of the work on sustainable diets has been driven by the environmental agenda – understandably so, in view of the massive environmental problems we face. However it also reflects the fact that social and economic objectives are extremely hard to agree upon. For example: food should be affordable, but does that mean that cheap food is good? Is small scale or large scale production to be preferred? Is equality an end in itself or can its pursuit stifle innovation? There may well be synergies between nutritional adequacy, environmental sustainability and certain economic goals, but there are also likely to be costs and deciding how they should balanced between the two depends on one‟s ideological position. What is more, some economic benefits are only likely to ensue if certain changes are made to the workings of the economy – and there will be disagreements as to how far that is possible.
Finally, this chapter has been as much about values as about „science.‟ While scientific knowledge – including in the fields of nutrition and the environment - may be important, the meaning people assign to its insights will be influenced by beliefs about what is right and wrong, about how the world works and how it ought to work. Any discussion of sustainability and which we should go, has to take into account, and explore, the values that stakeholders bring to the debate. 

"Sustainable diets for the future: Can we contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by eating a healthy diet?" ARTICLE in AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NUTRITION · AUGUST 2012

"A UK public health perspective: what is a healthy sustainable diet?"  H. Riley and J. L. Buttriss

"Is a healthy diet an environmentallysustainable diet?" ARTICLE in PROCEEDINGS OF THE NUTRITION SOCIETY · NOVEMBER 2012

12 Course Meal in a Can: Chris Godfrey

All in One

"Questioning the novelty nature of our consumer culture. This 12 course meal in a can offers the average joe, the chance to dine like royalty without the washing up." - Chris Godfrey's website

Daily Mail article here

Documentation weeks 15-18: 'For One'

For One

Watercolours on paper, 33x49cm

Documentation week 14 - beeswax wrap

 This has got to be the thriftiest thing I have ever made.

I've been keeping the winter blues at bay by lighting candles in the evening, and avoiding paraffin candles in favour of beeswax ones from the farmer's market. Anyway, I had some leftover candle stubs from these.

When I was printing the textiles for these bags, I brought along some scrap fabric to do a test print on. I'm glad I held onto it afterwards.

Leftover beeswax + leftover scrap fabric + leftover test print = ...

A re-usable alternative to plastic wrap. Up-cycled three ways. Coated in beeswax, it seals containers, sticks to itself and to other surfaces, softened by the warmth of your fingers. And it smells amazing.

Food waste

The issue du jour, it seems, is food waste. How ridiculous that households are encouraged not to let a scrap go to waste, when many big corporations are throwing out tonnes of perfectly good food every day and many even going so far as to lock their bins.

It's the same irony that sees some of us riding bicycles to save petrol when companies are opening new airlines and oil drills; that discourages us from taking long showers or leaving the tap on while we brush our teeth when households use only a fraction of the water used for animal agriculture. (Here and here.)

France is a step ahead, as I've written about earlier (the clever ugly produce marketing) and as this recent article investigates. 'French supermarkets will be banned from throwing away or destroying unsold food and must instead donate it to charities or for animal feed, under a law set to crack down on food waste.' Here's hoping that New Zealand follows suit and introduces similar policies. This article lists some companies' policies on food waste… shame it doesn't mention the bakery where I used to work, which sold on half its leftovers to pig farms, and put the other half into locked skips, filmed on camera so that they could be sure no one was getting their products for free. Name em and shame em, I say. Pandoro Bakery, sort your shit out!

When I was living in France in 2013 not a single scrap of food from our household would go to waste. Even if there were just two bites of a salad or stew left, they would go in a container in the fridge - never the bin - and someone would make sure to eat them the next day. The last resort was the compost bin, and the compost went into the prolific vegetable garden. This philosophy has become second nature for me and I'm still horrified when I see friends and family here in NZ tipping uneaten leftovers into the bin - that would have gotten me scolded by my French host family. Then I remember the restaurants, cafes and supermarkets that are doing this on a much larger scale on a daily basis.

I'm not sure what this has to do with my art. Still working that one out. Something analogous, food = materiality, personal responsibility being dwarfed by corporate interests, like the one little artist's eco-friendly art practice up against the multitudes of massive companies using toxic chemicals by the tonne. I don't know. Yet.

Documentation up to week 13 (end of May) - grocery bags

As designed and discussed in this post…

These were printed on cotton and sewed into grocery bags (fiddly and time consuming, yes, but I thought it would be easier to print on plain fabric than trying to screen print onto ready-made bags).

These will be given as gifts to the kind women at Mercy Radiology and Auckland customs who let me come and use their x ray machines. I may hold onto them for a while longer first, to possibly display them in the food-themed group exhibition Jane and I proposed for next semester. 

Go Green Expo

A couple of weeks ago I went to the Go Green Expo. In between munching on a dozen different kinds of raw / vegan / paleo chocolate brownie samples, I sat in on a few different seminars and talked with a mix of green-minded people. Had some good chats with the people at Eco Store, Keep Cups, Trade Aid, various organic grocers...

Although it was a bit gimmicky on the whole, here are a few things I took away from the event:

Honeywrap and Beewrapt (and HappBeeWrap and Bee's Wrap) - food wraps made with fabric that is sealed with beeswax, it softens from the warmth of your hands enough to cling like plastic wrap, only it can be rinsed and re-used. BUT, rather than paying $30 for a set I thought I'd like to make my own at some stage this year, and incorporate fabric design/printing.

Re-usable bags. Of course. Another thing I'd like to make for my project, thinking about food sustainability : packaging and storage and transport, etc.

Biodegradable doggie poo bags. As a dog owner, I think these are great, as it frustrates me that each time I take the dog for a walk I end up using and disposing of unnecessary plastic.

During a talk on hormone balance I learned some interesting things about the dangers of soy. My (previously) beloved little bean! I used to think it was the silver bullet for all the world's food sustainability problems, and it turns out it's incredibly environmentally destructive crop, as well as being a goitrogen and therefore possibly a factor in my thyroid issues. I've been converted. In fact I have completely avoided unfermented soy since the expo.

Fluoride Free NZ - not something I'd ever thought about, but the fluoride in our water is essentially toxic waste disposal of a by-product of manufacturing phosphate fertilisers. Also, like soy, those who drink fluoridated water are twice as likely to develop hypothyroidism.

Conclusion:

There are too many things to think about and too much conflicting advice when it comes to trying to live 'green'. The Vegan Society says one thing, the Paleo people say something completely contradictory. There are too many things we are told to watch out for and avoid. At this rate I'm hurtling towards a lonely life as a paranoid shut-in living off organic wheat grass and alkaline filtered spring water. Eek!

Part of me is extremely cynical towards green marketing, and wants to parody it and ridicule its ironies and apparent futility. The other part of me hopes for a better world, wholeheartedly believes in the green cause and supports it passionately. Am I a hypocrite? Or is it only appropriate to be confused about who/what to trust?

After the expo, I'm even more torn than ever, but I still think that trying to make environmentally friendly changes is a magical and worthwhile pursuit. The difficult part is how.

Documentation Weeks 7-8

A few dumb drawings...

Ellen explained to me how to size paper - now I can paint on my handmade paper without it disintegrating, yay!

 Thinking about text art. Dirt and honey | dirty and hungry | diet and money
Also thinking about colour overlapping, the 'screen printing aesthetic' of mis-registration and CYMK colour, and again the idea of printmaking using paint...?

Colour tests for a larger piece. 'Waterre' is a mix of my languages. Wa, Japanese for balance/harmony/unity, or Maori for time/season. Water, english. Terre, french for Earth or dirt.

Whole foods | Wholesome | Some foods?

Documentation Weeks 7-8: 'Decisions' (dominoes)

I really, really struggle with decisions.
It's embarrassing how often have minor mental breakdowns over the smallest everyday choices -  I agonise over what to put on my toast or cook for dinner, and it can take me an hour to decide what to wear....  I'm also the worst person to go out for a meal with. Deciding what to order is excruciating. I can never make my mind up, and once I do, I'll probably change it.
For the same reason, grocery shopping takes me forever. I look at labels. I scrutinise them. There are so many labels that are used to manipulate you, the consumer. Empty catch phrases like 'All Natural' might make you think it's a good decision. But actually, that means nothing.
And on the other hand, there are so many things that I know to watch out for and, if possible, to avoid. But unlike 'All Natural', these things aren't acknowledged on the packaging. If they're there at all, they're hidden. In fine print, on a nutritional table, or listed under an ambiguous name / number. Palm oil, BPA, animal testing - no one ever advertises these things on their products.
No matter how hard I try, it often feels to me that m ny of these things are unavoidable and that everything I buy, no matter how plant-based/local/eco-friendly, is still bound to be corrupt in some way. When it comes to food choices, it seems like you can never win.

That's where this idea came from.

Laser cut and engraved. Engraved text is painted with acrylic.

-Trying to acknowledge the dichotomy of (food) choices
-Who is art for? In my crit with Lisa we talked about the accessibility of illustration, and how it functions for children / adults. Like Audrey Niffeneger's illustrated artist books, or the wonderful book 'Go the Fuck to Sleep'.
This got me thinking about games, as something that operates along the same kind of lines... i.e. things which are meant for children, but can also be for adults. (particularly in a fine art context.)
-Since the 'Story of Stuff' video I posted a while back, I've been thinking about the analogy of consumerism as a game. Simple yet effective.
-Judy suggested looking at this idea of analogies
-Also interested in the idea of the domino effect, which I see this as potentially positive. I'm hoping to suggest that yes, our decisions as consumers seem small, but they have a flow-on effect and a lot of impact further down the line, whether or not we see or think about it. Each little choice is an opportunity, a vote, a catalyst.

Hungry Planet: What the World Eats

Peter Menzel and Faith D’Aluisio traveled the world documenting that most basic of human behaviors — what we eat. Their project, “Hungry Planet,” depicts everything that an average family consumes in a given week–and what it costs — laid out in thought-provoking detail.

Found at Time Magazine | Nobel Peace Centre | SNS Press (PDF)

Organic NZ: 'Cancer - Prevention is better than cure'

An article from the latest Organic NZ magazine about Heli Matilainen (mother of my friend and classmate, Jane)

Heli's business: Helix Organics