Food united a selection of Irving Penn's photographs dating from the late 1940's through to 2000 in the first exclusive exhibition of his food still life images.
"Penn has been one of photography's conspicuous innovators and distinguished performers in at least two of the medium's oldest and most successful genres: still life and portraiture.", John Szarkowski.
Szarkowski went on to say, the character of Penn's still life subjects is parallel to the character of his portraits. Penn's portraits claimed people are interesting enough that the support of a glamorous backdrop is unnecessary, and his still lifes - sides of beef, heads of cheese, cigarette butts on saucers, lipstick stains on glasses - if properly considered, contain all the necessary ingredients for a captivating plot. The food images take on a striking nobility in which Penn presents order and elegant simplicity with materials that one might consider less than promising.