THE MUSEUM OF ENDANGERED FOODS

Day02. Thursday, July 08, 12:15 EDT

The museum of endangered foods is a platform to think about one of the most underestimated consequences of climate crisis: the extinction of foods. These problems are not isolated but complex, entangled realities, so our approach at solving them has to be comprehensive. The exhibition aims to put the focus on the ecological vulnerabilities threatening each of these foods in the hope that food will be a more palpable and approachable take on climate crisis.

The museum of endangered foods is a platform to think about one of the most underestimated consequences of climate crisis: the extinction of foods. When the word , “endangered”‚ crosses our minds, we exclusively think about animals: pandas, rhinos, whales‚ but other life forms such as plants, and also specifically domesticated and edible plants that we consider foods, are also on the verge of extinction.

The causes are manyfold: from excruciating, rising temperatures to fresh-water scarcity, extreme and irregular weather patterns, habitat loss and deforestation, pollution and heightened vulnerability to plagues, predators and disease. Some of the most endangered food species in the world right now are avocados, cacao and wine. But also some of the most basic ingredients in the kitchens all over the world, such as potatoes, chickpeas, fish, bananas or coffee. It is extremely worrying and dangerous that nobody’s talking about these issues, and that the only “solution” for most of these problems consists on genetically modifying the crops so they can become drought or fungi resistant. Instead, and because these problems are not isolated but complex, entangled realities, our approach at solving them has to be different and comprehensive.

This exhibition aims to put the focus on the ecological vulnerabilities threatening each of these foods in the hope that food will be a more palpable and approachable take on climate crisis. We can only wish that food, probably the most necessary feature for human life along with water and air, which are also in great danger‚ will make a wider audience connect and become aware of the problems we’re currently facing.

Mario Mimoso is a multidisciplinary designer and futurist who loves researching, world building and writing, and is interested in social trends, sustainable futures, politics and speculative and critical design. He is curious and has a passion for learning, reasons why he jumps from field to field and has an interdisciplinary approach to his work. He works with concept development, concept art and illustration, art direction and graphic design, interior design and architectural visualization, speculative and futures design.

María is a multidisciplinary designer specializing in Food Design. Gastronomy has always been the field around which her career has revolved. She has worked for different food companies and restaurants on a freelance basis, as well as with the renowned Dutch food designer Katja Gruijters. Her other passion, art direction and food photography, has also been a really enjoyable part of her career, with one of her pieces being featured on Bombas and Parr's book DIY Decadence.