Potatoes: A Love Story

Potatoes are one of the most delicious foods to ever exist. They are an excellent source of not only calories, but also potassium, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and Magnesium. A staple crop the world over, potatoes are ancient and perfect. It is no surprise that humans have been cultivating them and making art inspired by them for millenia.

Archaeological evidence tells us that potatoes were first grown agriculturally in Peru, and have been grown there since 3,400 BCE. Yes you did the math right, that makes them AT LEAST 5,000 years old. Chincha ceramics from Peru, dated from the 1400s, show potatoes as food items, as people, and as a sort of cross between the two.

Those shapeshifting tuber sculptures are my favourite. A potatoey human figure, or an anthropomorphic potato in profile. This collection captures that “potatoes are people” kind of vibe. Happy potato eyes growing up and out, turning into Lovecraftian creatures. Curvy tubers shot in a figure study style, inspired by Edward Westin’s work in the 1930s.

In short, this collection is a love letter to the potato.