Event 1: Invisible Ingredients
I attended the “Invisible Ingredients: Unveiling the Science of Processed Foods” exhibition at the ARTSCI Gallery at CNSI. This project was curated by UCLA’s Hot Cling and Shear Magic Research Group led by Professor Hannah Landecker. Attending this exhibition was a very interesting experience where I saw a tangible example of the intersection between art, science, and technology. As soon as I stepped inside the gallery, I was immediately drawn to the idea of the ‘third culture’ our class had learned about; specifically seeing how scientists had used art and design principles to impact their work (Vesna, 123).
This exhibition provided insights into the evolution and impact of food processing technologies through advertisements from industrial trade magazines spanning 1955 to around 1995. In the aftermath of World War II and the rise of the Green Revolution, food and agricultural chemists developed ultra processed foods using synthetic inputs and inexpensive substitutes (WildHealth, "The Rise of Processed Foods in the US"). These changes, aimed at reducing manufacturing costs and increasing shelf-life, have introduced numerous health concerns that affect our world today. The health concerns are pushed under the rug by advertising techniques used in these magazines, which effectively persuaded consumers to feel comfortable with eating more of these products, despite their detrimental effects on health.
Roche, The Food Improvers. University of California, Los Angeles.
The “Gloss & Glamour” exhibit demonstrated the meticulous effort of scientists who carefully created Paramount Gloss – an edible food coating designed to seduce customers with the appeal of visually perfected food. This exhibit revealed how the scientists intentionally made the food look luxurious to target deeper emotional and societal values like the desire for prestige and status (Durkee, Hot Cling and Shear Magic Research Group). Observing various advertisements in the gallery, I realized the immense effort scientists invested to perfect these products in order to maximize profits. It was particularly interesting to learn about the role of fear-based advertising, as I noticed many ads exploit consumer anxiety to promote their products (Dr. Vijay, “Fear-Driven Consumerism”).
Durkee Technical Service. "Gloss & Glamour." March 1960. University of California, Los Angeles.
I would highly recommend this exhibit as I learned a lot about the interplay between art, science, and design, particularly through the discussion of innovation and the impact of technology on society. As someone interested in pursuing a career in Product Design, I find the exploration of how products are conveyed through advertising techniques to be quite intriguing. Observing how food technology and design can go hand in hand has inspired me to pursue similar concepts for the midterm and final project.
R., Dr. Vijay. “Fear-Driven Consumerism: Impact of Fear-Based Advertising.” LinkedIn, 22 May 2023, www.linkedin.com/pulse/fear-driven-consumerism-impact-fear-based-advertising-dr-vijay-rajan/.
Vesna, Victoria. “Toward a Third Culture: Being in Between.” Leonardo (Oxford), vol. 34, no. 2, Apr. 2001, pp. 121–25. https://doi.org/10.1162/002409401750184672.
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