Food and Art Collide in Red Bluff Exhibit

May 18, 2012 - PRLog -- “Food Pyramid: Applying the Golden Rule” will be on view at the Red Bluff Art Gallery from June 1-29, 2012.The presentation includes the traveling exhibit entitled “All the rest is commentary…”  which presents versions of the Golden Rule from twelve world religions in a way that honors cultural differences while underscoring a powerful shared sensibility. The exhibit is by San Francisco based artist Beth Grossman.

The opening reception will be Friday, June 1st,  2012. from 5-8 P.M. The artist will be present to host a Table Talk at the opening reception on Friday at 6 P.M. The exhibit will be further amplified by this participatory Table Talk exploring how practicing the Golden Rule in today’s complex society would influence and change our dealings with food quality, production, and distribution.

“If we all lived by the Golden Rule, for example, would there be hunger in communities like Red Bluff? Grossman says, and adds  “We also will create a collaborative food drive sculpture and taste a community “Stone Soup” with local organic ingredients.”

Beth Grossman’s work with tablecloths and bringing people to the table has led her to take on food issues.  For example, she has hosted community Art to Soup! events at city halls and libraries, where participants brought canned foods to create sculptures that were later donated to food banks. The dialogs that ensue at these public events make it clear that while food drives and food pantries are crucial, they are only stopgaps for the larger problems. How can we collect and distribute healthy, organic and sustainably grown local foods to those in need?

“Our food production and distribution systems are plagued by unfair labor practices, land and water abuse, pesticides overuse, environmental contamination, food waste, unequal distribution, insufficient funds for food stamp programs and health education, just to name a few,” says the artist.

Grossman typographically unifies world versions of the Golden Rule on tablecloths as the motif, because all religions have rituals of breaking bread together. In this critical moment in history, it seems opportune to explore this time-honored universal tenet through this visually striking exhibition.

The title of this series, All the Rest is Commentary, is a reference to a quote by Rabbi Hillel, an ancient sage who once said as he taught the Torah, “That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow man. That is the law; all the rest is commentary.”

Friday, June 1st is the opening night of the exhibition. An Artists’ Reception will be held from 5 PM until 8 PM that evening. Dress is casual and everyone is welcome. More information by phoning 529-1332.  Or online www.RedBluffArtGallery.com  More about the artist, Beth Grossman, at www.bethgrossman.com.