Glassware Should Sparkle from Sally Robinson on Vimeo.
The Centerpiece Should Be from Sally Robinson on Vimeo.
Always Observe Neatness from Sally Robinson on Vimeo.
Simple Elegance V2 from Sally Robinson on Vimeo.
One Little Frill V3 from Sally Robinson on Vimeo.
Linens Should Be Spotless from Sally Robinson on Vimeo.
A Simple Delightful Way from Sally Robinson on Vimeo.
Entree Mould Anxiety 02 from Sally Robinson on Vimeo.
The reality of preparing to entertain is hugely influenced by visual culture – we try to attain the mythical ideal, and in doing so perpetuate the visual myth. These moving image pieces are part of a wider body of research and practice which explores anxieties and aspiration in relation to visual food practices. Post-war western cookbooks place a greater emphasis on entertaining, where pre-war and war-time cookbooks had emphasised feeding the family. The full page colour photographs in these cookbooks show tables laden with lavish and elaborate food, in domestic surroundings which often showcase wealth and social status. Advice is offered to the host (always assumed to be female, usually a housewife), about decor, tableware, and 'set dressing'.
In this work the social anxieties created by cookbooks influence the expectations of the host, who places pressure on herself to live up to the beautiful, but ultimately unattainable cookbook photographs. The quotes for each moving image piece are taken directly from cookbooks of the era.