Paper short abstract:

Food is the utmost undervalued form of artistic expression in the history of art. Today it has found its place in crowds of contemporary art world. This research paper focuses on the current collaborations between culinary arts, Indian museums, artists and ethnography in India.

Paper long abstract:

Food and art are not separate crafts but instead an extension of each other. Culinary experience can touch upon the purest human emotions bringing their admirers on a journey of exploration and interpretations just like paintings. This research is an analysis of four such examples; A culinary experience at National Crafts Museum, New Delhi (India's prominent ethnographic museum), Café Lota is a quaint and artsy café that offers a contemporary take on regional Indian dishes consisting seasonal vegetables and fruits as per the Indian cultural and health beliefs. Subodh Gupta, a renowned Indian Contemporary artist works around the rituals and symbolism of preparation, presentation, and consumption of food. What's Cooking at Basel? An Indian Feast by Subodh Gupta (2017) is perfect example of an artist work inspired by ethnography where he served typical Indian meals. The Coconut Story: Serendipity Art Festival, Goa, 2017 celebrated the spirit of the versatile coconut, an essential ingredient to coastal cuisines. A selection of Goan chefs and establishments created signature dishes and showcased range of indigenous Goan cuisines. Raja, Rasoi Aur Anya Kahaniyaan, an Indian video series takes viewers into the world of Indian cuisine. It explores the history behind the cuisine of the Indian ethnic groups in different parts of India, showing discovery of dishes and their significance in Indian history. By analyzing these examples from my country, this paper argues & aims for widespread sustained interest in both collaborations and interaction between culinary art, ethnography and contemporary art world.