Food in New York: Bigger Than the Plate
Lettering: Kurt McRobert
Mural: Steve Ellis
Photographs: Courtesy Brad Farwell
Press: “In addition, it features works by more than 20 contemporary artists and designers who use “their crafts to imagine solutions to key global and local food-related challenges,” the museum said. Among these is a “Biosphere” by Mary Mattingly, which the museum calls “a structural ecosystem (that grows) native plants in saltwater”; photos by Maximo Colon that depict “nourishers” in the nearby Harlem and East Harlem neighborhoods; and a portable beehive by Jan Mun.” The New York Times
Anchored around issues of sustainability, labor justice, and equitable access to food, this exhibition used contemporary design to explore these themes. As design director, I worked closely with artists to commission site-specific works that supported the exhibition narrative while integrating seamlessly with the spatial design. I prioritized sustainable and food-derived materials throughout the gallery architecture, including mycelium light fixtures (Danielle Trofe), pineapple leather, and seating crafted from recycled beer kegs. The adjacent terrace extended the experience outdoors with a greenhouse constructed from salvaged stained glass and furniture made of reclaimed lobster traps. Through intentional use of materiality and form, the design reflected the exhibition's core values while providing a tactile, immersive visitor experience.