You Are What You Eat

Food-as-metaphor-for-life... as cocktail conversation topics go this one doesn't require much rigor in the way of mental gymnastics. Everyone's gotta eat, so most people have an opinion on it, right?  

It just seems to me that most folks are intuitively dialed-in to the notion that the food we eat is much more meaningful than solely providing fuel for the body. It goes deeper. What you shovel into your mouth says a little something about who you are as an individual, giving some insight into your lifestyle and what's important to you. I think it was Batali who quipped that there are only two things you put inside of someone... and the other one is food. So, yeah, what we eat has its consequences: personally, politically, ecologically, etc. 

But modest and easy cocktail conversation is about as far as I'd take it. Fortunately there are clever people out there to add their own bent on the issue, one of whom is Mark Menjivar, a San Antonio artist who's both willing and able to take a few more creative steps with the subject.  

His exhibit, You Are What You Eat, is a collection of portraits featuring the interiors of refrigerators "...photographed as is. Nothing added, nothing taken away."  It's an interesting take on an everyday thing that offers a very personal reflection of his subject(s). Clearly each is unique in myriad ways, but what binds them is the simple truth that at the end of the day, we all gotta eat. 

Showing at the Southwest School of Art through the end of February. 

Southwest School of Art

300 Augusta 

San Antonio, TX 78205

210/224-1848

http://www.swschool.org/ 

Carpenter/Photographer | San Antonio, TX | 3-Person Household | 12 Point Buck shot on family property.

Bar Tender | San Antonio, TX | 1-Person Household | Goes to sleep at 8AM and wakes up at 4PM daily.

Street Advertiser | San Antonio, TX | 1-Person Household | Lives on $432 fixed monthly income.

Food Artist | New York, New York | 1-Person Household | Runs a vegan bakery from her apartment.

Short Order Cook | Marathon, TX | 2-Person Household | She can bench press over 300 lbs.

Competitive Food Eaters | New York, New York | 3-Person Household | Holds records for eating most burritos, cannolis, buffet food, green beans, sushi, pancakes, ramen noodles, tamales, tiramisu and sweet corn.

School Crossing Guard/Nursing Home Assistant | Austin, TX | 6-Person Household | Parents and 3 adult children live in an efficiency apartment.

Photo Credits: Mark Menjivar.