A captivating exhibition at the Detroit Institute of Arts delves into the intersection of Islamic art and cuisine, inviting visitors to explore the rich cultural heritage of food in the Islamic world through immersive experiences.
Exploring the Intersection of Food and Islamic Art at the Detroit Institute of Arts
Scent and sound come together in a major survey that celebrates Islamic art through the lens of food and culinary culture.
Madhava Khurd and Jamshid Chela, Babur Enjoying a Meal at the South Madrasa in 1506 (detail view), from a Manuscript of the Baburnama, ca. 1590–93; Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper. The British Library, London, Or 3714, fol. 257r. Courtesy Detroit Institute of Arts
Food has long been a recurring theme in art, whether it’s the tantalizingly rendered fruits in Pompeian murals or medieval morality tales disguised as feasting scenes. As a topic, food in art has been extensively explored, with Kenneth Bendiner’s Food in Painting: From the Renaissance to the Present offering a particularly insightful look at how culture around food influences art and vice versa.
However, exhibitions that tackle food as an artistic theme are relatively rare. Recent examples include “Farm to Table: Art, Food, and Identity in the Age of Impressionism” at Frist Art Museum, “The Art of Food” at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, and the Detroit Institute of Arts’ “The Art of Dining: Food Culture in the Islamic World.” The latter is an updated version of a show originally served by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art as “Dining with the Sultan: The Fine Art Of Feasting.”
While it may seem like a niche topic, “The Art of Dining” offers a broad lens through which breaking bread is examined. The exhibition features paintings and decorative objects from various regions, including the Middle East, Egypt, Central, South, and East Asia, as well as Europe, clothing, and musical instruments. What sets this show apart, however, is its experiential components.
The interactive installation featuring a sufra invites visitors to sit for a digitally generated six-course meal of foods from around the Islamic world. This interactive element draws on memories of Iraqi-born artist Sadik Kwaish Alfraji’s mother’s homemade bread and family meals in Baghdad, evoking feelings of comfort, love, and nostalgia.
A Thread of Light Between My Mother’s Fingers and Heaven (2023) by Sadik Kwaish Alfraji is a contemporary multimedia installation that draws on memories of his mother’s homemade bread and family meals in Baghdad to evoke feelings of comfort, love, and nostalgia. Olfactory componentscome together in a major survey that celebrates Islamic art through the lens of food and culinary culture.
Iran (Shiraz), A Banquet Scene with Hormuz, from a Manuscript of the Shahnama of Firdawsi, ca. 1485–95; Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Nasli M. Heeramaneck Collection, Gift of Joan Palevsky, M.73.5.413. Courtesy Detroit Institute of Arts
“The show invites us to connect with our shared humanity,” writes DIA director Salvador Salort-Pons. “We are privileged to eat every day, benefiting from the wonderful fruits of nature, as we come together at the dining table.” This sentiment is echoed by the exhibition’s emphasis on the experiential components of food and culture.
“The Art of Dining: Food Culture in the Islamic World” closes on January 5, inviting visitors to reflect upon personal and cultural connections we make through food. Whether you’re familiar with sufra or not, this show invites you to explore the intersection of food and art in a way that transcends backgrounds, borders, and nationalities.
Spain (Manises), Dish with delle Agli Family Coat of Arms, ca.1430–60; Tin-glazed earthenware. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, The Cloisters Collection, 1956, 56.171.152. Courtesy Detroit Institute of Arts
