Artists raise awareness about abandoned farms and child hunger

By Cheyna Roth

In case you missed it, a Food Fix podcaster recently spoke with two artists who used their art to raise awareness about abandoned farms and child hunger in Michigan:

• Kathleen Hodges’ art addressed the growing number of abandoned farms in the United States and the impact on food prices and availability.
• Elaine Harlow displayed 31 paintings of bowls – only 19 with food inside – to demonstrate the hunger that takes place in her own neighborhood in Plainwell, Michigan.

Each artist highlighted the need to address global problems locally, educating the public about food access issues in their own backyard. They recently had exhibited their work at  ArtPrize, an annual independent, international art competition that takes over three square miles of downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Listen to the interview:

And, read more about the environmental art from this year’s ArtPrize:

• Great Lakes Echo: From solar sound to four-season photography
• The Food Fix: ArtPrize artist creates piece on water scarcity

The Food Fix is a sister publication of Great Lakes Echo, which is also produced by Michigan State University’s Knight Center for Environmental Journalism.