By LORNA CHEROT LITTLEWAY
THE PHILMONT LIBRARY opened the exhibit, “Canned Food For Thought”, Saturday, March 16. The exhibit features 13 works, including digital illustrations, pen and ink drawings, and watercolors by local multimedia artist Heatherlyn Heath Martin. She describes her style as “pop art sculpture.” Martin added that the recycled food cans are “satirical” with names like Post Apocalyptic Food, a favorite for survivalists, and include nutrition labels.
When asked what inspired the two-years in the making project, Martin responded, “From childhood I have been interested in our relation to the food system.” She named Andy Warhol as a strong influence on her work. “Warhol created the iconic Campbell’s Soup cans and introduced them to modern art.” Martin ironically noted that Campbell Soups are “now GMO.”
Just three cans – “Organic Food,” “Human Food” and “Food For Thought” – will be displayed through the exhibit’s entire 6-week run. Some of the opening day cans displayed were “American Food,” “Victorian Food,” “Comfort Food,” “Fast Food,” “GMO Food,” “ALPO – Why Not For Humans?” and the previously mentioned “Apocalyptic Food.”
A can of “American Food” consists of french fires, pizza, hamburger, soda and ice cream. Taste buds that lean toward the “historical” may like “Victorian Food,” with the ingredients hog jowls, beef tongue, mutton, kidneys, fruits and vegetables packed in aspic – a gelatin that slid out when a can of SPAM was opened.
In a hurry? “Fast Food” is “faster than any other canned food. By the time you read this label, it’s already in your stomach.”
Who can resist “Comfort Food?” “All the nourishing comfort you can get in a can.” Ingredients are: pork & beans, chicken noodles and ramen noodles, macaroni & cheese, tortillas and hot cocoa. Beware, the nutritional value is 80% fat.
“Apocalyptic Food” is based on the video game, “Fallout.” Its label proclaims that it is “made from edible microbes. Grown in underground bunkers.”
“ALPO,” also a very popular dog food brand, promoted itself as “100% complete and balanced.” The exhibited can has been repurposed as a piggy bank.
“GMO Food” is “100% technologically” produced. “Fake food,” chimed in Library Curator Victoria Brill. According to the label, “GMO Food” is “created by bioengineers with the idea to solve world hunger and pollution…by changing the geonome of food species in ways impossible through natural reproduction and with heavy application of glyphosate,” which is a forever chemical found in Roundup.
Martin and Brill recalled that in the 80s there was “a lot of enthusiasm for GMOs especially from biotech engineers.” But due to the Health Food Movement of the 90s, GMO warnings now appear on labels and “non GMO is desirable.” Brill noted that Monsanto created “hybridized seeds” thus forcing farmers to buy more seed. They, also, recalled farmer-led protests regarding the banned DDT chemical. “Farmers would douse themselves in DDT to prove its safety.”
Martin was born and raised in Claverack. She attended Claverack Elementary in the Hudson City School District. She started collegiate level studies at age 15 at Columbia-Greene Community College. She earned a BA in Business from SUNY Empire State. Martin has lived in Philmont off and on for 11 years.
This talented woman, also, writes poetry – food related, of course. Martin read “Poultry Shears” as part of the opening’s presentation:
“My love is like the poultry shears
shining on the counter top
calling to me
softly whispering
the contents of the fridge.
‘Milk . . . Carrots . . .’
It cuts my silence
like this broken bird
wishbones shattered
severed dreams.
My love-fridge-whispers:
‘Turkey . . . Melons . . .’
The poultry sheared
the silence screams.
The art exhibited is for sale. Visit www.HEATHERLYNMARTIN.COM for a price list. “Canned Food For Thought” received funding from the Statewide Community Regrants program of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) with the support of the Office of the Governor and the NYS Legislature administered by CREATE Council on the Arts.
The exhibit is open to the public during Philmont Library’s regular hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 1 to 7p.m.; Tuesdays and Fridays, 1 to 5 p.m.; Thursdays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The exhibit closes on Saturday, April 27. The library is located at 101 Main Street.
