May 8, 2009
Our second and third days in Madrid brought a walking tour of the city, a first ride on the city's proudly efficient Metro (on time 98.5% of the time!), and visits to two of the great museums of Spain -- the Museo del Prado and the Reina Sofia. Showcasing some of the most recognizable and renowned works from traditional Spanish masters Goya, Velazquez, and El Greco, the Prado has more than 7000 pieces in its regular collection.
The Museo Nacional de Reina Sofia, on the other hand, represents the very best in Spanish modern art, housing large collections of Dali and Picasso, including the masterpiece Guernica -- one of the most famous Spanish paintings, recognized worldwide for its powerful modern interpretation of Spain's complicated history.
That conflict, between the traditional and the modern, became a significant source of inspiration for our group's discussion of food and culture. One of this program's course assignments is a reflective journal, designed to encourage students to reflect, on a daily basis, on the cultural and culinary experiences that they have in Spain. After visiting the two museums, we asked students to comment on the juxtaposition of traditional and modern art in Spain, and to consider the way that juxtaposition is mirrored in the food of Spain. We encouraged the students to think, for instance, about the way that molecular gastronomy, particularly in the north of Spain, reimagines the traditional ingredients that have long been staples of Spanish cuisine. The side-by-side experiences of the Prado and the Reina Sofia provided a concrete visual example of these cultural juxtapositions, and helped students consider the artistry and craft of cooking through a similar lens.
As several of the students pointed out, the artists featured in the Reina Sofia, such as Dali and Picasso, were, in many cases, working with the same themes, challenges, and tensions as their traditional forerunners, but interpreting those themes in an abstract style. For many -- even those who prefer it -- the art of the Prado felt heavy and oppressive in comparison to the openness and experimentation of modern art. Regardless of people's preference for the traditional or the modern, everyone acknowledged that the latter owes a great debt to the former. Similar influences are seen in the food world, where contemporary chefs like Ferran Adria or Juan Marie Arzak pay homage to the traditional foods of Spain, but through a lens of postmodern deconstruction. On the plate, these molecular gastronomic creations are not unlike the abstract deconstructed pieces of art found in the Reina Sofia.
Our first formal class period also took place on Day Three, with a presentation on the commodification of food in a global system. Our students did us proud, wrestling with two very challenging articles in a
First class: Students discuss commodification of food. (Photo by Lisa Stowe) seminar presentation to their classmates, drawing explicit connections between food and power in the time of gloablization. Holding their first class outside of a formal classroom environment really encouraged a level of participation and opennness that is sometimes stifled in the confines of a formal classroom -- no desks, no rows, no formal physical delineation between teachers and students. It was a truly engaging class experience.
From Madrid, we'll be moving south to Cordoba -- we'll report back from there!