Hello, welcome to today's art lesson.

My name is Ms. Holland, and I'm really excited to get going with this lesson today.

So, what we'll be learning about today is about food and personal narratives.

And this is part of our unit called, "Art for life: Expression and belonging." By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to reflect on the cultural identity of food to make a collaborative artwork.

Our key words are symbol, tradition, and recipe.

A symbol is an object, shape, or sign, which can be used to represent something else.

Tradition is an inherited belief, a principle or a custom.

And a recipe is a set of instructions for preparing a particular dish.

Have you ever used a recipe? Our lesson is in two halves.

So first of all, we're gonna explore food and its visual appeal to artists.

And then we're gonna start exploring the cultural identity and personal narratives of food.

So let's begin, food and its visual appeal to artists.

Can you describe or think what you see? Look really closely.

We know it's a pomegranate, but what can you actually see? I, for one, can see lots and lots of different textures, shiny textures, rough textures, and lots of different shapes.

Well, the colours, and shapes, and textures of food make it a popular and inspiring subject for many, many artists.

Natural foods including fruits and vegetables have inspired many artists' work.

Inspiration might be because of the huge range of natural textures, which add contrast and depth to compositions, nature's patterns and imperfections which offer organic beauty.

And you can see here, this is an artist illustration of the pomegranate we saw before, and they've really tried to highlight the lovely shininess of the inner fruit.

Sofia and Jacob are discussing which foods they find visually appealing.

So Sofia is saying, "I love the appearance of cherries 'cause they're all red, shiny, and glossy." And look at this picture here, aren't they so? They look so appetising.

And then Izzy says, "I love looking at rows of donuts in the bakery with the different toppings." The uniform rows of donuts with their lovely colourful toppings.

What do you like? Many artists as well have used food as a source of inspiration and here are a few.

We have Camilla Grey.

Grey is a graphic designer, and her cheerful illustrations often feature food and drink.

Ming Fay created really surreal sculptures of oversized fruits, so enlarged fruits.

Emma Dibben is a designer and illustrator who mainly focuses on food in her work.

And Ohn Mar Win is best known for her food illustrations, often featuring Asian inspired dishes.

Which artist is known for creating oversized sculptures of food? Is it Claude Monet, Jon Burgerman, or Ming Fay? Which artist is known for creating oversized sculptures of fruits? Well done.

Yes, it's Ming Fay.

And we know that these oversized sculptures of fruits are very surreal in style.

Some artists use food ingredients as a medium rather than as subject matters.

So actually use food ingredients to create their art.

This challenges traditional ideas about what art can be.

And artists who do this include Anna Vasof, who works with edible materials to create sculptures.

Sam Bompas and Harry Parr are known for creating edible architectural installations.

And Vik Muniz, who makes large scale recreations of famous artworks using ingredients such as tomato sauce and syrup.

Check for understanding.

Why do some artists choose to use food as a medium in their artwork? Is it because ingredients are less expensive than traditional art materials? Is it because food is easy to store permanently without changing? Or is it because it challenges traditional ideas of what art is? Well done.

Yes, it challenges those traditional notions of what art can be.

Moving on to our first task.

I would like you to make a closeup observational study of a fruit or vegetable that interests you.

And I'd like you to focus on the texture and pattern.

And you can use any medium of your choice.

You could even use a food ingredient.

But you could use paint as well, pencil, charcoal, pastel, whatever you would like to use.

But I want you to focus on the texture and pattern.

Let's have a look at some examples you could choose from if you like.

So you could decide to focus on smooth and glossy, like those cherries.

So that would include cherries, or apples, olives, mango.

Or you could choose and make a study on spikiness.

So that might be a lychee, an artichoke.

Here are some images that you could choose from.

You can see they're really spiky.

Or you might decide to think about wrinkled skin.

So that's fruits and vegetables like figs, kale, chilli pepper, salak.

And finally, you might decide to observe pattern.

And we can see intricate pattern on things like corn on the cob, a watermelon, or a pineapple.

So I'd like you to really think about a texture and pattern that interests you.

And then if you would like, you could really do focus on a closeup of an area of the fruit.

So rather than depicting the whole fruit, you're really focused on the texture and pattern, so you could zoom in and enlarge one section.

And you could use pencil, like in this fruit skin study.

Drawing out the main shapes, pressing lightly so you can rub them out if you'd like.

Then adding a range of tone with softer graphite.

Before then using a rubber to highlight sections to take off some of that graphite to highlight.

Or you may want to use oil pastel and watercolour resist, like this kale leaf study.

So here, watercolours being used and has started with the lightest shades of green and gradually adding darker tones.

And then the oil pastel will resist the watercolour paints, allowing the veins to show through.

So you've had lots of ideas of different fruits, different vegetables, and the different textures and patterns.

So once you've chosen that, go and make a study of one of them.

And remember, you can enlarge a section to really focus in on it.

You could use graphite, or you could use watercolour and oil pastels.

Pause the video.

Well done.

I wish I could see all of your examples, but I'm sure you had a lot of fun and I hope you really experimented with texture and pattern.

Shall we see some examples? So, there are many possibilities, but it might look like this.

So let's have a really close look at this example.

What medium do you think this pupil's used? I can see pencil and I can see some overlay collage.

Lucas said, "I chose to make a closeup study of pineapple skin." Do you recognise that now? "Using watercolour pencils.

And then I tried to include all the different colours I observed." And you can see he's really layered these colours to create a rich, deep study.

Here's another example.

What fruit or vegetable do you think this is? I think I know.

What do you think it might be? Let's see.

Jacob said, "I made a painting of mushroom gills." Can you tell where the stalk is, the underneath of the mushroom.

"And there were many shades of brown to include." So he focused on the pattern and then using the different tones and shades of brown to include.

Well, well done.

We've started exploring food and its visual appeal to artists.

And now we're gonna look more closely at the cultural identity and personal narratives of food.

Food is more than just something we eat.

Food's a powerful aspect of culture, memory, identity, and community values.

It can bring communities together.

Food is universal.

It activates the senses.

Think about your taste buds, smell, touch.

It's full of symbolism.

And it brings people together.

Like I said, it joins communities together.

And it has a cultural story.

Depending on the food, there'll be a cultural story.

Food is universal and something that is shared in many cultures.

This makes it a good subject for art that connects people.

Laura and Izzy are discussing times when they share food.

And I want you to think about when you share food when you listen to them.

So Laura says, "As a family, we share a Sunday roast every week.

It has become a tradition." So something they do every week.

Izzy says, "I love to share pizzas with my friends when we have sleepovers." Is there any time that you like to share food either with friends or family, or within a community? Food activates the senses through its many varied textures, which makes it more enjoyable to eat and make art about.

It might include the dense, crumbly texture of Scottish haggis.

The soft, spongy texture of Ethiopian Injera.

The flakiness of a French croissant.

The crisp texture of Korean kimchi.

And the stretchy and dense texture of West African fufu.

Can you think about all the different textures of food that you've had that makes it more enjoyable to eat? Have you tried any of these foods on this list? And food activates the senses.

Aisha says about this lovely looking cake, "This cake makes my mouth water and I'm sure it tastes delicious.

The strawberries look so good." And I can just imagine the lovely smells certainly of the strawberries and the fresh food.

Food is also full of symbolism across many cultures.

And examples could include rice, which is a symbol of abundance in many Asian cultures.

The olive branch, which is a symbol of peace, dating back to ancient Greece.

Eggs, a universal symbol of fertility and rebirth.

Bread, which is seen as a symbol of sharing and community.

A loaf of bread can be easily shared out between people.

Why is bread considered a powerful symbol in many cultures? Check for understanding.

Is it because it represents sharing community? Is it because it's always eaten with soup? Or is it because it's the easiest food to make? Well done.

It's because it represents sharing and community.

Food brings people together.

So here we have a lovely image of two people sharing food.

From family meals to community feasts, food is a way of connecting and sharing stories.

Food can also express cultural values and practises, and could include hospitality.

So things such as tea ceremonies, sharing feasts.

Could include religion and some elements of religious practise such as fasting, food restrictions, and celebratory meals.

And identity, recipes can be passed down through generations in families and treasured and passed on to the next generation.

And tradition.

So a tradition may be festival dishes or national foods.

Food connects us to identity, tradition, and history.

Laura and Jacob are discussing family recipes.

Laura is saying, "Are there any family recipes in your family, Jacob? My Nana makes an amazing trifle which she brings to every party." And Jacob says, "Yes, my Great-Granddad passed down a recipe from his family, which is a spicy, sweet potato soup." So recipes can become treasured within a family or a community and passed down and really revered for their symbolism and what they count for in tradition.

Many artists connect food to personal heritage or cultural storytelling.

Some examples are Jacqueline Bishop, shows how family history and feelings can be shared through objects on and around a table.

Francis Alys, who often incorporates food, street vendors, and market life to reflect the social structures of Latin America.

And Raed Yassin, who includes kebabs, fast food, and Lebanese dining culture in his work.

True or false? Exploring foods from a range of cultures can help us understand and appreciate different ways of life.

True or false? Yes.

Well done.

It's true of course.

And we know this because learning how different people cook, how they eat and connect with each other helps us build respect and appreciation for their experiences and perspectives.

It opens our eyes to different perspectives, which is really, really important.

And by learning about food from a wide range of cultures, we gain an appreciation for the diversity and meaning behind everyday meals.

So Alex says, "I've learned that in Mexico they celebrate the Day of the Dead, and families make and share traditional foods like pan de muerto and tamales at altars." By learning about food from a wide range of cultures, we again appreciate.

And Jun and Sofia are discussing what they have learned.

So Jun has said, "I've learned that in many regions of India, people eat meals with their hands." And Sofia says, "Yes, it is believed to create a spiritual and physical connection with food, and show respect for the meal." Recipes are a powerful way of preserving, of keeping safe, and passing on cultural identity, history, and traditions through food.

So it could be with national dishes such as Japanese sushi or Turkish baklava.

Regional specialities, such as the area or regions, such as English Yorkshire pudding, West African Jollof rice, or Swedish pickled herring.

And religious or cultural dietary needs such as halal or kosher diets, can shape the ingredients and preparation methods used in a recipe.

Designers play a key role in the creation of recipe books, and creative careers in this area can include illustrators who are responsible for bringing the recipe alive visually through artwork.

Graphic designers, whose key role is to create the layout, so how the text and the images are placed and in what format on the page and typography.

And if you remember, typography is what the writing looks like.

And food photographers, who entice the viewers with images of delicious looking food.

So, moving on to our last task, I would like you to explore recipes from different cultures, discovering the ingredients and the stories behind them.

Find out the following information about your chosen recipe.

So when you've chosen a recipe, find out the following information.

What are the key ingredients? Are there any symbolic meanings behind the recipes? And are there any traditions or celebrations connected to the recipe? So, for example, there might be a certain pudding that's connected to a festival.

Pause the video, and off you go.

Right, I wonder what you've chosen.

Let's see what one of our Oak pupils has chosen.

Andeep has chosen a Haitian Freedom Soupe Joumou, which is a pumpkin soup, and has an interesting story behind it.

So originally, it was a soup reserved for the French elite.

So they're very wealthy.

And enslaved Haitians were forbidden from eating it.

They eventually reclaimed the soup and turned it into a symbol of their freedom.

And breadfruit was brought as a cheap food source from slave people, making it a symbol of both survival and colonial control.

So there's a deep, rich history behind Andeep's choice.

Laura says she found out that Ukrainian dumplings called vareniki, which is also called pierogi, are believed to be a divine gift, a symbol of prosperity and happiness.

And the dumplings are filled with creamy, cheesy mashed potatoes, caramelised onions, and a topping of sour cream.

So both of those examples have really strong symbolism associated to them.

The next part is to make an artwork to represent your chosen cultural recipe.

And I'd like you to choose any medium again or combination of mediums that you would like.

So this is an example, and it's Moules Marinieres, which is a traditional French recipe and symbolises the simple pleasures of coastal living.

You could choose some of the key ingredients.

So we can see here there's been key ingredients that have been chosen, and avoid including brand names.

Then decide upon a composition which looks appealing.

And you might add torn paper for texture and interest.

You can even write the recipe out and tear that up and add that.

And then if you choose to use watercolours, start with washes of the lightest colours.

And you do a wash of course by putting some water on it and then putting the colour, the watercolour in it, and you can always dab off any excess water with a tissue.

And start off with the lightest colours before building up to darker shades and tones.

And then include the name of the recipe and the key ingredients.

You could write it or you could use collage to cut out the letters, or you might use letter stencils.

So, think about the key ingredients that your artwork will have, arrange it into in a composition that you find appealing, and then use your choice of medium to continue it and deepen it.

And if you're using watercolours, remember you could use a wash and build up to those darker tones.

And then finally, you're gonna add the name of the recipe and the key ingredients you've depicted.

Pause the video.

Well done.

I hope you've taken a lot of time thinking about your composition and what medium you will use.

And soon you can join it together with the other recipes in your class and the other illustrations in your class to form a recipe book.

So this is an example that one of our pupils has done, and there's lots and lots of different possibilities.

So this is a Brinjal curry, and we can see that gold pen with embellishments have been used to spell out the curry name and the key ingredients.

And then the artist has really focused, the pupil has really focused on the smoothness and the glossiness of that beautiful aubergine.

And Alex says, "I made an illustration of Indian Brinjal curry.

It's believed to be the oldest curry known, dating back approximately 4,000 years.

And this recipe does have regional variations, so it differs depending on what region." However, Alex has included aubergine, garlic, chilli, and spices in the painting.

And Alex has used warm colours to represent heat.

And I think that really shows through, especially in the background.

And now we can see our Oak pupils have joined together and the recipe book is complete.

And they cannot wait to start trying out each other's amazing recipes.

And the book is full of delicious recipes from around the world.

It's collaborative.

It's connecting each and every one of the pupils.

Perhaps you could go now and try out the recipe that you decided upon.

So thank you for joining me today.

We've been learning about food from other cultures, and how it's important because it helps us understand and appreciate different ways of life, traditions, and values.

And food is deeply connected to history, identity, and community.

And exploring it opens doors to respectful cultural exchange and global awareness.

And studying traditional recipes allows us to experience cultural stories firsthand, and preserve food as a powerful symbol of heritage and identity.

And that's what you've done today on your second task.

You've preserved that recipe to pass on.

Thank you for joining me again, and I hope to see you soon.