Camilla Wordie is set to captivate audiences with a new exhibition, Eat to Live or Live to Eat, opening this May at Feelium Gallery. Turning traditional still life and portraiture on their heads to create a new ‘food portrait’, this is a playful exploration of our intricate relationship with food – a universal love language understood by all.
In Eat to Live or Live to Eat, Camilla Wordie will be interviewing ten individuals across different industries, including artists, designers, shop owners, and storytellers; some who hate to cook, others who love to eat and those who are meticulous about their weekly shop.
They will share their top ten ingredients, from weekly food shops to Saturday night takeaways, in the ultimate artistic challenge that will capture their characters, stories and relationship with food.
Colour, form and texture are fused together through a series of captivating still-life photographs, with each food portrait photographed by a different photographer, including the likes of lifestyle photographer Emma Lee and portrait genius Dunja Opalko.
Together, they ask the question, “Do you eat to live or live to eat?”
Each photograph in the exhibition serves as a portrait, capturing the essence of individuals through their culinary choices. As angles are adjusted and props positioned, this is an invitation to delve deeper, sparking curiosity and prompting a re-evaluation of our preconceived notions of portraiture.
Drawing inspiration from the seemingly mundane aspects of daily life, Camilla Wordie ingeniously transforms these everyday objects into art to give a refreshing perspective on food, interiors, fashion, beauty and more. From a perfect tangerine lying solitary on the pavement to meticulously arranged jars of pickled walnuts, her work transcends conventional boundaries, inviting viewers to see the extraordinary in the ordinary.
Throughout Camilla Wordie’s impressive career, she has masterfully utilised food not merely as an ingredient but as a versatile material for creative expression. Whether it’s an apricot supporting a slab of honeycomb for Harrods or jewellery delicately nestled on turquoise-painted grapes for The Telegraph, her distinctive and lively approach breathes new life into familiar scenes. It’s the every day, but not as you expected.
Camilla said, “Eat to Live or Live to Eat is not just an exhibition; it’s a conversation starter. As renowned chef René Redzepi once said, ‘Food is a way to explore the world,’ and I believe, also a way to understand people. This exhibition is a humorous yet serious journey of gastronomic exploration.
“I want to make people reflect on their food habits, nostalgic moments, their weekly shop and what’s hidden in their kitchen cupboards. By exploring these relationships with people and food, we can unravel deeper emotions, question societal norms, challenge perceptions and tell great stories.”
Further details of the sitters and photographers taking part in Eat to Live or Live to Eat will be announced in the coming weeks, alongside information on additional events and exciting collaborations which will form an integral part of this unique project.
Eat to Live or Live to Eat – Where and how?
- Location: Feelium Gallery, 7 Kensington Mall, London W8 4B
- Dates: Wednesday 8th – Sunday 12th May 2024
- Times: Mon-Sun 10 am-6 pm
- Admission: Free
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