Collective Bread Diaries: A Taste of Protest.

I initially chose this event to attend because I was extremely curious about the title of the exhibit. I was intrigued how bread related to both protest, as well as technology. However, the artist Haytham Nawar did an astounding job of guiding the viewers through his story by using technology as his medium.

Nawar utilizes a paper cutter with a pen that replaces the blade. The cutter is programmed to receive photos of bread that are sent in from all over the world. The machine interprets these images and displays them using the knife-like strokes. The result: sheets of paper depicting breads from all over the world, displaying the variance among cultures.

This piece exemplifies the necessity of binding the two cultures together. Through technology, an art piece can unify multiple countries to one room. In many countries, bread is seen as a sign of protest, and is held up in riots as a symbol of the right to live. The machine is culturally ambiguous, allowing it to be the perfect medium to merge several cultures into one piece. To me personally, it was representative of how the combining of both the arts and science provides a passageway for the blending and communication between cultures.

I would recommend this event because it was amazing to watch the machine print the images right in the exhibit. It brings a sense of awareness to the viewers because the piece utilizes the commonly unnoticed value of bread, and allows them to realizes the experiences of other cultures.