Tables in My Life by Amelie Middleton

I am a grade 12 student at West Mac in Karrabin. The main medias for my artwork are my culinary techniques and photography. ‘Tables in My Life’ was created as part of my internal assessment for grade 12 Visual Art. My inquiry question was “How does food serve as a powerful link between individuals, families and cultural heritage?” 

Tables in My Life is a 2D appropriation of Romanian artist Daniel Spoerri’s 3D sculptures of dining tables. My version was to orchestrate my parents, grandparents and my host family in France to take a photo of their kitchen table once they had finished eating and be honest about their mess. 

Growing up, food was an important motif, sitting at a table every night sharing stories of my day, sharing the ups and downs, and always being supported. Food serves as a powerful link between families and the idea of a picture of a table evokes a sense of belonging and community, which invites the viewer to remember their own ‘tables of life’.