Food has always had a way with words.
The University of Arizona Poetry Center is hosting the “Come to the Table, an Exhibit of Food Poetry” exhibit from Tuesday, August 27 – Saturday, November 23.
The show is inspired by food and the conversations that come along with it.
The exhibit is organized by the four fundamental stages of the culinary experience — growing, sourcing, cooking, and eating — and dives into the several unique ways “poetry uses food and food uses poetry.”
“I’ve always thought of recipes as poems: the musicality and lyricism of them, their pace. For a lot of writers, food, cooking, shared meals, and nourishment are common sources of material,” says Leela Denver, the Poetry Center’s Senior Library Assistant. “You’d be hard-pressed to find a poet who hasn’t written about food in one way or another— food is pretty vital to life and human connection.”
A lot of what you’ll read at “Come to the Table” may cause your stomach to grumble, but may also get your creative juices flowing.
The exhibit showcases work by numerous authors, such as the likes of Sarah Gambito, Gwendolyn Brooks, Naomi Shihab Nye, and Mayumi Oda.
The exhibit is free to the public and will be up and running until Saturday, November 23.
In addition to the tasty words on display, you — as a viewer — are invited to participate in the exhibit by contributing your very own Tucson “taste memories” in the form of a collaborative poem.
The University of Arizona Poetry Center is located at 1508 E. Helen St. For more information, visit poetry.arizona.edu.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B1R4WmpB3LY/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
