The food side of sound aesthetics

Artisphere
Dome Theater, Arlington, Virginia
21st of April 2011

April 2011

In the last years, linking sound and food is becoming an interesting research topic both in the psychology of perception and new media art studies. The latest research is focusing not only on the key factors of hearing related to multi-sensory perception of food, but also on some vernacular expressions that are rising from a performance-oriented aesthetics research, analyzed through a multidisciplinary perspective.

Every recipe, as a list of operations to be executed in a time interval, could be considered as a contemporary full score that is at the same time well-defined and unpredictable in its sonic development. The sound of food and its flavour can take us somewhere in the world through getting us in touch with different cultural traditions, giving us a local characterization, covering the distance and definitely mixing.

If Heston Blumenthal once said food is especially evocative in conjuring memories, we could extend the meaning of his words, saying: food and sound. This conference session will discuss some case histories and concrete art/design examples related to sound/food topic, investigating the field bounded by performance art, sound art and research.

Through comparing molecular gastronomy to experimental digital music and analyzing the connection among sound, food and new media as a way to re-design (and re-mediate) the identity of a rural territory (Click’n’Food – Interferenze new arts festival), I will be discussing how food/sound knowledge can add important levels of information in the “tasting” process, providing a deeper level of understanding of the “manufacturing” act and, more relevant, a much better conscious sensorial experience.