The Museum of Endangered Foods
Task
To make people reflect about one of the most underestimated consequences of climate change: the extinction of foods.
The Museum of Endangered Foods is an exhibition to reflect on one of the most underestimated consequences of climate crisis: the extinction of foods. When the word “endangered” crosses our minds, we exclusively think about animals: pandas, rhinos, whales… but other life forms such as plants, and also specifically domesticated and edible plants that we consider foods, are also on the verge of extinction.
Welcome to the museum!
The causes are manyfold: from excruciating, rising temperatures to fresh-water scarcity, extreme and irregular weather patterns, habitat loss and deforestation, pollution, and heightened vulnerability to plagues, predators, and disease. Some of the most endangered food species in the world right now are avocados, cacao, and wine. But also some of the most basic ingredients in the kitchens all over the world, such as potatoes, chickpeas, fish, bananas or coffee.
It is extremely worrying and dangerous that nobody’s talking about these issues, and that the only “solution” for most of these problems consists of genetically modifying the crops so they can become drought or fungi-resistant. Instead, and because these problems are not isolated but complex, entangled realities, our approach to solving them has to be different and comprehensive.
This exhibition aims to focus on the ecological vulnerabilities threatening each of these foods in the hope that food will be a more palpable and approachable take on the climate crisis. We can only wish that food, probably the most necessary feature for human life along with water and air —which are also in great danger— will make a wider audience connect and become aware of the problems we’re currently facing.
The concept behind the creative direction of the project was to display these endangered ingredients as if they were the last ones. Placing them inside a case, in a museum-like environment, instantly made them more valuable and appreciated.
The extreme minimalism of the design helps reinforce this idea: a white setup where each ingredient can stand out and become a museum piece. From displaying a single banana to using a magnifying glass to see what is too small and valuable to be seen otherwise.
The Museum of Endangered Foods is a traveling exhibition that so far has visited Madrid, London, Barcelona, Amsterdam, and Eindhoven. Different cities, same reactions: from surprise to horror people’s reactions are the same no matter where they’re from. We believe food is a powerful tool to communicate complex ideas in an approachable way, and The Museum of Endangered Foods is always there to back us up.
Foodture 2021
Floriade 2022
Dutch Design Week 2021
Food Forever Festival 2022
We have also been asked to share our project and talk about the climate crisis on several occasions for different events and workshops, including the World Design Embassies, PRIMER21, or Matadero Madrid.
