On an unusually warm San Francisco night, attendees gathered at a small gallery, unsure of what to do next. In front of them was a long, draped table filled with delicate potted plants. The round leaves semi-hid small and equally round, bright buttons. Are those edible, guests wondered. Are the stems? There’s an interesting effect to food being taken out of its familiar context and put on display in imaginative ways. Amusement. Curiosity. Awe. And it’s happening more often, as food art takes center stage.

While there’s always been a place for using edible materials and centering food themes in art to make a statement—be it Kara Walker’s molasses and sugar sculptures or Judy Chicago’s Dinner Party —in its current, social media-era manifestation, food art brings together tactility,

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