"Wrestling in Jelly, for Art's Sake"

This article explains Tara Strickstein's attempt to combine art and food into one and create a "mutual sensory experience." Her interest in the connection between art and food has led her to her newest artistic endeavor, jelly roll. It is performance based installation that involves a sweet shop counter with the accompaniment of jelly wrestling. People will wrestle in jelly and outsiders are welcome to participate. It is an interactive display that demonstrates the combination of food and art. There are an asortment of deserts and treets at the counter that provide patrons with a sensory experience and the wrestling is a contrast of the passive eating experience. She believes that it will allow people to experience things in a new way which will open their mind and senses to different forms of art. Performers will be walking around and interacting with the viewers and looking for opponents. This form of art is unknown and that is what artist Strickstein loves about it.

I think Strickstein's abstract and interactive way of combining food and art represents the endless capabilities of art. It proves that the context of something can completely change its interpretation and definition. In any other place besides a museum this "jelly roll" would not be considered art. In a museum people are looking to interpret and experience. Rather than just being a messy experience it can be seen as a complete sensory experience. Strickstein's artistic vision is shown through her knowledge of both food and art being sensory experiences, she proves that the combination of these experiences produce a different and interactive way to relate to art and food. In the article she makes a very valid point that has been thoroughly discussed in our class, "I asked my parents: 'Why is this art?' " Strickstein recalled. "And that developed into a lifelong questioning back and forth of what makes art. I'm still working on the answer." I think this is a question that can never really be answered because the definition is dependent on so many other aspects that would have to include every factor and interpretaion.

HOULIHAN, M. (2009, April 26). Wrestling in jelly, for art's sake :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Galleries. Retrieved April 26, 2009, from http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/galleries/1544071,SHO-Sunday-art26.article