Springfield Art Museum (Springfield, OH)
Written By Elizabeth Wetterstroem
To explore the question, “who prepares the food and who sits at the table?” artist Laura Tanner Graham gathers oral histories from farmers, chefs, and restaurant patrons. Using their stories as inspiration, her drawings present a visual archive of the rituals, recipes, and traditions of different communities around the country.
The discipline in which Tanner Graham works can be defined as the study of foodways, i.e., the eating habits and culinary practices that guide the production and consumption of food. By examining a community’s foodways, we can better understand a group of people, and in turn, their current economies, social structures, political leanings, and needs as a community.
With the recent political turbulence and rising inflation, Tanner Graham’s art is particularly timely as food insecurity is nearing crisis levels and issues of equity and access are at the forefront of American politics. Her work can be seen as a gathering table, literally bringing people together in conversation and acting as a catalyst for social change.