Victor Grippo’s Analogia I is a quietly powerful piece that embodies concerns central to the artist: everyday foods, recurring elements, energy, measurement, as well as the collective consciousness and its potential. The edible protagonist in the piece—the potato—deserves a special spotlight. Metonym and meal, the potato offers an opportunity to look more closely at the historical entanglement between humans and nature.

Whether purposefully or not, Analogia I calls attention to how we take our food for granted and the forgetfulness that occurs as soon as we take something grown for consumption from the grocery store shelf. What happens to the lowly spuds that power this piece every day? In this era of growing awareness of food waste reduction, can the core ideas that animate Analogia I be harnessed to complete new circuits of meaning and value?

Meet Me at the Museums is a new series of talks given by our campus partners, lenders, and students. The series widens the circle of our gallery talk offerings, allowing for a richer diversity of viewpoints, surprising interdisciplinary connections and research, and unique perspectives about our collections and exhibitions.

Led by:
Dr. Gavin Whitelaw, Executive Director, Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, and Lecturer, Harvard University