Crossroads for Food Studies: A Fork in the Road?
Andrea Banks
Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences
This week we continue our series on exciting cultural events to be held at this year’s Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences in Kitchener-Waterloo.
While it’s not a surprise that the Canadian Association for Food Studies meeting program (CAFS) piqued our interest (who doesn’t love food?), their innovative food research exploration gallery pulled at something other than just our appetite. As a newcomer to the Congress experience, I was interested in finding out more on how CAFS planned to bring together food research and art under one umbrella.
Further investigation revealed that CAFS launched a similar event at last year’s Congress. The exploration gallery showcases works of art and design, presentation posters, slide presentations, book displays, video, audio, art installations, and any other creative examinations of food and food research. Though last year’s gallery was small, it was very successful. CAFS received a great deal of positive feedback, both about the way it presented food studies research in alternative and often innovative formats, but also about how it made the material accessible to a wide range of CAFS community members, stakeholders, and academics outside of food studies.
This year, CAFS is actively recruiting exhibitors and they expect to create a substantially larger gallery. CAFS expects participation from art and design departments, art galleries, and individual artists, as well as a notable book display. Participants are encouraged to submit work relating to the 2012 Congress theme, and specifically to their own conference variation – Crossroads for Food Studies: A Fork in the Road?
The gallery will be open May 26-28 and all Congress attendees are welcome to visit and explore. Stay tuned for more details on location and opening hours.
If you’d like more information on this innovative (and no doubt appetizing) event, visit foodstudies.ca or contact cafs2012@gmail.com.
