The Art of eating

The theme of this exhibition and of the book published to accompany it seeks to highlight the knowledge, traditions and actions that are lived on a day-to-day basis and on special occasions, during ceremonies and rituals.* Solid and liquid foods, both in their original state and transformed, and the preparatory measures that accompany both their ingestion and the offerings made to ancestors, deities and spirits, are indissociably linked to specific objects. These are made of an array of materials and come in many different forms: while the jugs, pots and other recipients used to store cereals, milk, oil and water may have original shapes, more attention usually goes into making dishes, bowls, cups, spoons and ladles. The latter are destined to hold foodstuffs that will be shared among the many guests at marriages and other celebrations. Marriages represent alliances between different groups and call for gigantic feasts, which are in themselves a testimony to wealth and prestige. This is the case in the Admiralty Islands (Bismarck Archipelago, Melanesia), where huge dishes containing pieces of pork are served.