Texas-born Peter Augustus aims to help us face our food fears with his latest series 'Mystery Meat.'
There exists a pretty large disconnect between the origins of our dinner and what it looks like when it's served to us on a plate. The middle man -- all that prep work of cleaning, processing and packaging -- seems to be completely ignored, or at least taken for granted.
Augustus experienced a bit of a culture shock moving to Hong Kong, where the propriety of concealing any food that isn't visually appealing is most certainly not practiced. Instead, meat shops all over the city brazenly and gruesomely display every animal part you can think of in their store windows. Though it might be a bit disconcerting upon first glance, we must admit that this practice is more honest than its Westernized counterpart, a method which is centered on camouflage and disguise. Of course, while not immediately appetizing, the series isn't meant to disturb or repulse, but rather remind us about the production that goes into our food.
Mystery Meat Photography
Peter Augustus' Series Emphasizes Food Production
Trend Themes
1. Transparent Food Production - Opportunity for companies to promote transparent methods of food production to increase consumer trust and knowledge.
2. Alternative Culinary Presentation - Opportunity for chefs and restaurants to experiment with unconventional, honest culinary presentations that showcase the origins and processing of food.
3. Photography for Food Education - Opportunity for photographers and educators to use art and visuals to educate consumers on the realities of food production and promote conscious consumption.
Industry Implications
1. Food Production - Opportunity for food producers to implement transparent and ethical methods of farming, processing, and packaging to meet the demand for honest and sustainable food production.
2. Food Service - Opportunity for restaurants and other food service businesses to use unconventional culinary presentations to convey the origins and processing of food and elevate the dining experience.
3. Education - Opportunity for educators, schools, and institutions to use photography and art to educate students and the public on food production and promote conscious consumption and sustainability.