The Tampa Bay area is not only home to a growing number of artists but also draws art historians and curators from across the country to the region. Among them is Dr. Lesley Wolff, Assistant Professor of Art and Design at the University of Tampa. Dr. Wolff’s recent book, “Culinary Palettes: The Visuality of Food in Postrevolutionary Mexican Art” brings together two of her passions—food and art. As a young art historian, Dr. Wolff worked in cafes and restaurants where she discovered she loved working with her hands and enjoyed the performative space of the kitchen. This led Dr. Wolff to attend culinary school before pursuing her doctorate.
In her spare time, she continued to read both food and art journals, even studying the art and design of historical menus. “Culinary Palettes” explores the intersection of Mexican art, culture and food—Dr. Wolff’s specialized area of research. She presents new insights on the representation of food in the art of legendary artists Rufino Tamayo, Diego Rivera and Tina Modotti, as well as the evolution of cookbooks and food products in Mexico. The back pages of “Culinary Palettes” feature recipes for Mole Poblano with variations spanning from 1864 to 1965.
Joanna Robotham is the Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Tampa Museum of Art.
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