* All images used with permission from artist. Please do not distribute without first contacting the artist.
Mark on “You are what you eat”:
You Are What You Eat is a series of portraits made by examining the interiors of refrigerators in homes across the Untied States.
For three years I traveled around the country exploring the issue of hunger. The more time I spent speaking and listening to individual stories, the more I began to think about the foods we consume and the effects they have on us as individuals and communities. An intense curiosity and questions about stewardship led me to begin to make these unconventional portraits.
A refrigerator is both a private and a shared space. One person likened the question, “May I photograph the interior of your fridge?” to asking someone to pose nude for the camera. Each fridge is photographed “as is.” Nothing added, nothing taken away.
These are portraits of the rich and the poor. Vegetarians, Republicans, members of the NRA, those left out, the under appreciated, former soldiers in Hitler’s SS, dreamers, and so much more. We never know the full story of one’s life.
My hope is that we will think deeply about how we care. How we care for our bodies. How we care for others. And how we care for the land.
top image:
Carpenter/Photographer / San Antonio, TX / 3-person household / 12 point buck / 2008
bottom image:
Owner of defunct amusement park / Alpine, TX / 1-person household / Former WW II POW / 2007
Next Artist: Ricky Colson
Previous Artist: Aerick Eisenstein
midwife/middle school science teacher | san antonio, tx | 3-person household (including dog) | first week after deciding to eat locally grown vegetabl...
Mark Menjivar
© Mark Menjivar: Carpenter/Photographer | San Antonio, TX | 3-Person Household | 12-Point Buck © Mark Menjivar: Disabled | Marathon, TX | 2-Person H...
The Intimacy Of The Refrigerator
Mark Menjivar traveled the US for three years taking photographs of the insides of people's refrigerators. This refrigerator study is a fascinating gl...
Hot Off The Press: Pocket Postcards And Business Cards By Will Bryant
Chipboard and black ink has never looked so good. Pocket postcard, Chipboard 20pt. Kraft, Pantone soy-based inks, 1/4″ rounded corners Business card...
You Are What You Eat, Photos By Mark Menjivar
Nate: “You can tell a lot about people by the contents of their refrigerators. Photographer Mark Menjivar's series of fridge portraits from across T...
This looks like as if this guy needs to pay a maid to come clean his fridge out…this isnt art.
Comment by Cat Parker — June 24, 2009
Fascinating!
Comment by Georgie — June 24, 2009
How very Eggleston of you. That’s a lot of meat.
Comment by Anna Routh — June 24, 2009
Art? This is not art to me. This just doesn’t catch my attention, nor tell me a story. The artist of the day yesterday was an artist.
Comment by Josh — June 24, 2009
I think it’s fascinating and thought provoking.
Comment by Kim — June 24, 2009
I did the same exact thing! I thought it was so interesting, just the composition, colors, and differences between the contents of a person’s fridge. I love that you are doing this on a serious level. I was just kind of playing with the idea. Great job, very exciting to see, and I’ll definitely visit your website! Oh, and I absolutely love how you put the facts about each person for the refrigerator image. Perfect.
Comment by Shawna — June 24, 2009
Love it.
Comment by Anonymous — June 24, 2009
Love this work! Such a fabulous idea for a series. Very current! Great examination to the gluttony and availability of product that the people in the US have grown accustom to. Beautiful in it’s mundaneness!
Comment by MyHungryEye — June 24, 2009
Seriously? Poorly lit pictures of refridgerators? This in my opinion is neither skillful nor creative. Poor execution puffed up by high concept. The descriptive words are much more interesting than the photographs themselves. And you have to ask yourself, “Does my art tell the story by the image alone, or do I have to explain it?” I say that if it takes a lot of explanation, than you didn’t do the job. Sorry to be harsh.. nothing personal. I just feel like there are so many talented artists out there that would make better use of this space than what we see here today. ARTISTADAY, what are you guys thinking?!
Comment by mattgreermusic — June 24, 2009
Remarkable! I have been photographing refrigerator interiors for over three years now. My efforts, however, were having to do with creative subject matter for paintings. (I don’t consider myself a photographer.) I have always felt that a refrigerator interior had such personality and I really like the way you have given the background of the owner in your titles. We are thinking of almost the exact same work!
Comment by thejamesgang17@wcny.rr.com — June 24, 2009