The connection between food and memory is a strong one. It is said that when we eat, our brain processes not only the taste and smell of the food, but also the context and emotions associated with the experience.
Emma is fascinated by the chameleon-like ability of food packaging to go almost entirely unnoticed in our day-to-day lives, yet simultaneously hold the ability to elicit emotions and memories that can transport us to an entirely different place or period of our lives. It is this dichotomy between the seen and unseen, the everyday commonplace item that can provoke such strong and personal response, that draws Emma to use the imagery of food packaging within her work.
“As a craftsperson, my aim is replicate and thread paint with such accuracy and attention to detail that on first sight, it isn’t immediately obvious that one is looking at a piece of embroidery. As an artist, the hidden in plain view element of packaging is an opportunity for me to alter words and images to produce a piece of work that also holds more meaning than it might first appear. This process of ostranenie (defamiliarising objects that are very recognisable) helps us examine our assumptions and beliefs in a new way too. At times this can be to create food for thought, and other times to simply share some positivity or create something that is joyful or fun. After all, you shouldn’t play with your food… but you can.”
Emma Giacalone is a self-taught textile artist, based in Gloucestershire , who has been practicing freehand machine embroidery since 2012. Emma stitches together her creative interests in food packaging with a background in sociology, a fascination in people, and a seasoning of wordplay to create artwork that is thought provoking, nostalgic, playful and fun.
