Artwork good enough to eat at Museum of Brisbane

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This was published 6 years ago

Artwork good enough to eat at Museum of Brisbane

By Rachel Clun and Noor Gillani
Updated

Food is not just fuel for Brisbane artist Elizabeth Willing, it is a great medium for her art.

"I like to still use food in a way that gets a reaction, or it performs," Willing said.

Artists Elizabeth Willing with some of her works at the Tastes Like Sunshine exhibition at the Museum of Brisbane.

Artists Elizabeth Willing with some of her works at the Tastes Like Sunshine exhibition at the Museum of Brisbane.Credit: David Kelly

While not all of her work included edible food, Willing said she loved the added sensory experience it gave her artwork.

"I feel like people have a connection to it ... it's fun to play with nostalgia," she said

Willing's sugar cane mural was drawn in dark chocolate.

Willing's sugar cane mural was drawn in dark chocolate.Credit: David Kelly

A number of her artworks, including collages of food photographs from old Australian Women's Weekly magazines and toasted marshmallows glued straight onto a wall, form part of a new exhibition at the Museum of Brisbane.

Opening on Friday, the Tastes Like Sunshine exhibition is all about celebrating Brisbane's "abundant food story", Museum of Brisbane director Renai Grace said.

"The exhibition is extending out and I suppose really tapping into how people in society are really interested about where their food produce is coming from," she said.

"The overarching element of the exhibition has been produce, but the concept of food is so large it's like doing an exhibition on art."

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Sean Rafferty with his fruit and vegetable boxes at the Tastes Like Sunshine exhibition at the Museum of Brisbane.

Sean Rafferty with his fruit and vegetable boxes at the Tastes Like Sunshine exhibition at the Museum of Brisbane.Credit: David Kelly

Willing has created two pieces especially for the exhibition - a sugarcane mural drawn with dark chocolate and the piece featuring toasted marshmallows.

"The marshmallows are kind of the dessert of the campfire, and I have so many memories of doing that as a kid; going outside in our lovely warm weather in Brisbane and toasting marshmallows, and I guess by repeating that gesture it places an importance," she said.

Rafferty's diorama used characters on fruit and vegetable boxes from all over Queensland.

Rafferty's diorama used characters on fruit and vegetable boxes from all over Queensland.Credit: David Kelly

As well as pieces from Willing, the exhibition includes collaborative works between Carol McGregor and local indigenous artists, and Sydney-based artist Sean Rafferty's work with fruit and vegetable boxes.

"He's spoken to all the different producers - he's very inspired by the humble produce box and the artwork, and the humour that goes into some of these boxes," Ms Grace said.

Willing with her marshmallow artwork.

Willing with her marshmallow artwork.Credit: David Kelly

"He actually goes and talks to all of these farmers.

"It's about hearing their stories - gaining their trust as well - and then being able to represent them the way he's done.

"It's really celebrating their contribution to us ... It's a really beautiful story."

Rafferty's artwork took the box icons to create an "Ekka-esque agricultural pavilion diorama", which will spend a year with the Brisbane Markets to celebrate its 150th birthday.

"He says that the further up-north the lush landscape, there's a real sense of fun and then further down you go there's drier country, and it sort of gets a bit drier in the humour," Ms Grace said.

While the pieces from other artists will have life after the exhibition is over, Willing said the point of her food-based art was its temporary nature.

"I like to choose works or materials that are ephemeral but will still last the extent of an exhibition, so there's sort of a delicate balance where you want it to last about three or four weeks but you still want the eventual decay to come into it," she said.

"This is a work that was made for this space, the smell is in the space, and once it's over that temporary experience, just like eating a marshmallow is gone."

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