EMILY EVELETH | ARTFUL LIVING

WHY FOOD REMAINS A TIMELESS MUSE IN THE WORLD OF ART

There’s nothing more universal than food. And lately, artists and creators have been using it in surprising and showstopping ways. From sweet treats on a mammoth scale to fresh vegetables dangling in midair, food is now being served with a touch of Picasso. 

Even today, artists use food to layer meaning into their work. That’s the case with artist Emily Eveleth, who has painted only one type of food for 30 years: doughnuts. Thanks to her classical style, simple pastries become delicacies lacquered in shimmering glazes and frothy powders, taking on the look of formal portraits. 

“Doughnuts are everyday objects that, more than most others, remind us of the body and its satisfactions,” says Eveleth. “As such, they give us room to project our desires onto them. Every item of food exists somewhere on a spectrum between need and desire, and the clash between needs and desires is fierce and complicated these days.”

In her most recent exhibition at Miles McEnery Gallery in New York City, the colorful confections were set against backdrops of silky greens and patterned pinks. Fleshy pastries painted with a sensual glow offer some intriguing food for thought. 

“Food is everything from a loaf of bread to the height of luxury, combined with a strong sensuous component,” Eveleth sums up. “So food has long been a subject for artists, because art about food is never just about food.”

Wendy Lubovich —