One of the most common questions regarding aesthetics is 'what things count as art?' To Adam Hillman (previously here), the answer to this question is as broad as it is narrow. Adam arranges everyday objects into dynamic patterns to subvert their traditional use and redefine them as tools for artistic innovation.
"I grew up fascinated with art history, so it seemed natural to want to create my own art," he told Bored Panda. "Instead of traditional painting and sculpture, I wanted to use materials that reflected the time I live in, which is why I use everyday objects."
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Food is arguably his most common choice. "Unlike more permanent mediums, food is transitory, and can only be preserved through methods such as photography," Adam explained. "Because I use Instagram account as my way of exposing my work to a larger audience, I use food because it is something that is unique to photography because it can only be experienced through reproduction, unlike painting or sculpture which are better experienced in person and can be bought and sold as an object."
"Likewise, unlike mediums designated as high art, food art can be more readily understood and enjoyed by everyone, making it a more democratic option."
"As we live in a time dominated by widespread food-based advertising, I think food art is becoming especially relevant. Rather than seeing grocery stores as merely a means of sustenance, it redefines these seemingly utilitarian stores as areas of artistic possibility, making viewers more perceptive to the aesthetic possibilities of everyday things that they would normally take for granted."
Showcasing the lovely colors that nature can make while giving the contrast that can be found on/in the same items- it's weirdly beautiful. And seriously such clean lines.
In any other post I would 100% assume this is a set of images in a collage. The clean lines and spacing that are achieved in these designs is really impressive.
The artist must have the patience of a saint and very steady hands. Then there is getting the photo shoot just right before any material looks "icky". Marvelous.
I thought there was just a frame above the fruit... then I looked closer
When trying to imitate Mondriaan, you should at least respect Mondriaan's dedication for ABSOLUTE PERFECTION. Crooked lines, bad symmetry & bad knife skills, unfortunately in my POV, is certainly no homage towards anything Mondriaan. At least this one has better use of lighting & it does not shows too many stained pieces of fruit (or he finally started to learn how to use lemon juice).
Hey Buddy, at least he tried. If you really hate imperfection so much here's a tip for you; don't look in the mirror. Nobody's perfect.
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I swear I'll never again be satisfied with my ability to fry an egg. Damn.
These all get eaten at some point, right? I hope all this great produce doesn't go to waste!
Note: this post originally had 91 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
i know it;s supposed to be calming and satisfying, but i find each picture intensely disturbing. anyone else?
Jep me, al that wasted of food makes me angry, knowing that there are lots of people who has nothing to eat at all
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OK, these might be a little better than pasta shapes glued to cardboard and spray painted gold. Not saying I ever did that.
Exactly HOW is this satisfying? Here is the definition of satisfy: verb (used with object), sat·is·fied, sat·is·fy·ing. to fulfill the desires, expectations, needs, or demands of (a person, the mind, etc.); give full contentment to: The hearty meal satisfied him. to put an end to (a desire, want, need, etc.) by sufficient or ample provision: The hearty meal satisfied his hunger. to give assurance to; convince: to satisfy oneself by investigation. to answer sufficiently, as an objection. to solve or dispel, as a doubt. to discharge fully (a debt, obligation, etc.). to make reparation to or for: to satisfy an offended person; to satisfy a wrong. to pay (a creditor). Mathematics. to fulfill the requirements or conditions of: to satisfy a theorem. (of a value of an unknown) to change (an equation) into an identity when substituted for the unknown: x = 2 satisfies 3x = 6.
It satisfied my desire for pleasant, symmetrical photos. There.
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Eyegasm? That's really a reach BP. I look at these and see an irritating waste of food and time.
How do you know it's a waste of food? Perhaps it was all eaten after taking a photo, and as for the waste of time, that's just your (misguided) opinion. I guess you think that making music is also a waste of time.
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Is anyone else bothered by the word eyegasm (it might change later but it's in the title right now)? I know it fits here but still... Anyway, beautiful pictures. I find them very satisfying to look at. The dedication is awe-inspiring. Truly a perfectionist. I hope the food used for the pictures was eaten. And now I'm hungry
I understand the complaints about waste of food, but I also see people enjoying the time and skill taken, and they're being downvoted. I'll probably get buried in the downvotes too, but I feel like I can enjoy the effort and skill in these, as well as hope that the food went to good use. I can understand wastes of food, but this is art placed on the internet for people to enjoy. I feel like we should be allowed to appreciate the talent without being smothered in downvotes. Thanks!
I am so sorry for saying this, but all I see are lots of crooked lines, loads of stained fruit (guess he doesn't know about the use of lemon juice?), bad knife skills, lots of abysmal use of lighting, messy, choppy, symmetry is sometimes non existent. The whole point of doing this kind of symmetrical color art, like a true mandala = pure PERFECTION. That is including perfect planning to keep your food looking fresh for THE perfect photo (instead of leaving your food for hours on end laying around so it gets stained & looks dry). Truly wanted to like this, but I guess I am spoiled by all the great Japanese Artists here on BP.
yay, f**k up food to make pretty pictures and get yourself some internet points and don't donate it to starving people or anything
As I was scrolling I thought "and how much of it went to waste?"
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There's a lot of "what a waste of food." comments but honestly the majority of this is candy. 30 pictures and perhaps 8-10 could be argued to be a waste. A tiny waste at that IF they went to waste at all. Art is an odd creature. If it evoked a reaction, good or bad, it did it's job.
Thank you, and YES! Good art pleases, great art provokes. I likewise am amused by some of the reactions regarding the artist’s repurposing and rearrangement of a few bags of junk food and expiring produce, e.g., “you wasted perfectly good food for *THAT*?” The artistic irony is that most of the raw material consists of empty calorie junk food to begin with. How can you “waste” garbage? It is a childish notion to think that people who are food insecure could possibly be rescued by a sugar shower of Halloween candy or cookies. To me, this art installation is all about temptation at both an emotional and visceral level, so think about that and your own reaction to it. For example, the artist not yielding to temptation to abandon his attempt to deliver on the near impossibility of rendering a photographically perfect pyramid or platter, the neurological temptation of a sugar high, the gastronomic temptation of cookbook food porn, the visual temptation of the rainbow, the political or religious temptation to complain about wasted food with your own full belly, etc., etc. Brilliant work!
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Loved this article. These photos would do well on walls of food markets.
If I lived in a post-apocalyptic world and found these, I would starve to death staring at them.
These are amazing! The dedication it would have taken... (also I wonder what happened to the food afterwards...)
My thought too! I hope the food got eaten, either by animals or humans. But it's very skillful and pretty to see
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i know it;s supposed to be calming and satisfying, but i find each picture intensely disturbing. anyone else?
Jep me, al that wasted of food makes me angry, knowing that there are lots of people who has nothing to eat at all
Load More Replies... OK, these might be a little better than pasta shapes glued to cardboard and spray painted gold. Not saying I ever did that.
Exactly HOW is this satisfying? Here is the definition of satisfy: verb (used with object), sat·is·fied, sat·is·fy·ing. to fulfill the desires, expectations, needs, or demands of (a person, the mind, etc.); give full contentment to: The hearty meal satisfied him. to put an end to (a desire, want, need, etc.) by sufficient or ample provision: The hearty meal satisfied his hunger. to give assurance to; convince: to satisfy oneself by investigation. to answer sufficiently, as an objection. to solve or dispel, as a doubt. to discharge fully (a debt, obligation, etc.). to make reparation to or for: to satisfy an offended person; to satisfy a wrong. to pay (a creditor). Mathematics. to fulfill the requirements or conditions of: to satisfy a theorem. (of a value of an unknown) to change (an equation) into an identity when substituted for the unknown: x = 2 satisfies 3x = 6.
It satisfied my desire for pleasant, symmetrical photos. There.
Load More Replies... Eyegasm? That's really a reach BP. I look at these and see an irritating waste of food and time.
How do you know it's a waste of food? Perhaps it was all eaten after taking a photo, and as for the waste of time, that's just your (misguided) opinion. I guess you think that making music is also a waste of time.
Load More Replies... Is anyone else bothered by the word eyegasm (it might change later but it's in the title right now)? I know it fits here but still... Anyway, beautiful pictures. I find them very satisfying to look at. The dedication is awe-inspiring. Truly a perfectionist. I hope the food used for the pictures was eaten. And now I'm hungry
I understand the complaints about waste of food, but I also see people enjoying the time and skill taken, and they're being downvoted. I'll probably get buried in the downvotes too, but I feel like I can enjoy the effort and skill in these, as well as hope that the food went to good use. I can understand wastes of food, but this is art placed on the internet for people to enjoy. I feel like we should be allowed to appreciate the talent without being smothered in downvotes. Thanks!
I am so sorry for saying this, but all I see are lots of crooked lines, loads of stained fruit (guess he doesn't know about the use of lemon juice?), bad knife skills, lots of abysmal use of lighting, messy, choppy, symmetry is sometimes non existent. The whole point of doing this kind of symmetrical color art, like a true mandala = pure PERFECTION. That is including perfect planning to keep your food looking fresh for THE perfect photo (instead of leaving your food for hours on end laying around so it gets stained & looks dry). Truly wanted to like this, but I guess I am spoiled by all the great Japanese Artists here on BP.
yay, f**k up food to make pretty pictures and get yourself some internet points and don't donate it to starving people or anything
As I was scrolling I thought "and how much of it went to waste?"
Load More Replies... There's a lot of "what a waste of food." comments but honestly the majority of this is candy. 30 pictures and perhaps 8-10 could be argued to be a waste. A tiny waste at that IF they went to waste at all. Art is an odd creature. If it evoked a reaction, good or bad, it did it's job.
Thank you, and YES! Good art pleases, great art provokes. I likewise am amused by some of the reactions regarding the artist’s repurposing and rearrangement of a few bags of junk food and expiring produce, e.g., “you wasted perfectly good food for *THAT*?” The artistic irony is that most of the raw material consists of empty calorie junk food to begin with. How can you “waste” garbage? It is a childish notion to think that people who are food insecure could possibly be rescued by a sugar shower of Halloween candy or cookies. To me, this art installation is all about temptation at both an emotional and visceral level, so think about that and your own reaction to it. For example, the artist not yielding to temptation to abandon his attempt to deliver on the near impossibility of rendering a photographically perfect pyramid or platter, the neurological temptation of a sugar high, the gastronomic temptation of cookbook food porn, the visual temptation of the rainbow, the political or religious temptation to complain about wasted food with your own full belly, etc., etc. Brilliant work!
Load More Replies... Loved this article. These photos would do well on walls of food markets.
If I lived in a post-apocalyptic world and found these, I would starve to death staring at them.
These are amazing! The dedication it would have taken... (also I wonder what happened to the food afterwards...)
My thought too! I hope the food got eaten, either by animals or humans. But it's very skillful and pretty to see
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