This virtual gastronomy-themed art exhibition tells the story of food as a source of joy

A virtual exhibition by a Bengaluru-based museum brings together food-related artworks from their archives coupled with personal recipes and anecdotes from team members

A Microwave choco lava mug cake inspired by a mid-20th century print advertisement for Cadbury chocolates. Meticulous instructions on baking a coconut cake — a delightful take on our very own ukadiche modaks — in response to a centuries old iron coconut grater. A step-by-step breakdown on poaching pears in red wine, influenced by a Mughal painting of a woman with a wine cup. These are some of the 22 recipes of nostalgia, longing, comfort, and survival that team members of Bengaluru-based Museum of Art & Photography (MAP) have curated as part of their online exhibition Stories on a Banana Leaf, which displays a range of 17 food-related paintings, photographs, sculptures, prints, advertisement posters and textiles from their collection.

Chetra, Barahmasa-I series, Madan Meena, 2020, silkscreen and natural pigments on paper. Pics Courtesy/Museum of Art & Photography (MAP), Bengaluru

The project was prompted by cooking, eating and sharing food becoming a primary source of joy for many in the lockdown. Curators Arnika Ahldag and Vaishnavi Kambadur share that they wanted the exhibition to be about the MAP team and the food that makes them happy. “It started in April 2021 when the situation was dire. We thought that among the few things that gave us happiness and comfort was food. Almost as an act of self-care, we’d cook simple dishes that we’d normally share with others. We also sent food to friends’ homes as a message that we were there to take care of each other. At the same time, a lot of our artworks with ingredients like chillies, bananas and coconuts brought back memories for our team members,” Ahldag explains.

Vaishnavi Kambadur

Engaging with the project is like working through an elaborate meal; click on the tiles and you’ll find yourself deep-diving into the history of the artworks, the ingredients they represent, related stories from every team member and of course, their recipes. “We imagined a banana leaf-like platter, scattered with all the stories of our team members. We’re based in Bengaluru, Karnataka, so the banana leaf signified the diversity of recipes and art history connected to the artworks,” Kambadur reveals.

A coconut grater and vegetable cutter, c. 18th-19th century, South India Iron

While curating the exhibition, they first selected artworks from the collection that showed ingredients, dishes or food being prepared — such as an 18th century robe with pomegranate prints, a woodcut by Jagadeesh Tammineni depicting bananas, a poster of a woman drinking tea by Calendar Manufacturing Company, or the painting of a bell pepper by Jogen Chowdhury.

Arnika Ahldag

The team members then picked the works that resonated with them, responding with personal and family recipes. “Most of our team members also shared anecdotes, memories and how they connect to the ingredient or artwork. We also wrote about the history of ingredients, the artists who engaged with it and the myths, stereotypes and stories that showed up in our research,” Ahldag shares, adding, “Art has often used the very essence of food and its tools — fruits, utensils, farms and kitchens — to remind us of how this connection has continued over centuries, bringing us stories of healing, care, comfort and togetherness.”

Log on to: map-india.org/exhibitions/stories-on-a-banana-leaf/

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