Amelia’s Magazine | Animal Vegetable Mineral: an interview with food events entrepreneur Tasha Marks

Animal Vegetable Mineral Edible Art Class - Photo Paul Singer
Animal Vegetable Mineral’s Edible Art Class. All photography unless otherwise stated by Paul Singer.

Animal Vegetable Mineral, also known as AVM Curiosities, was set up by young entrepreneur Tasha Marks, who left university with an insatiable appetite for combining food and art. Having interned at Bompas & Parr she was ideally placed to set up her own company, which now creates bespoke food based events such as the Edible Art Class taking place at The Book Club on Tuesday 9th April (full listing information here) I was fascinated to hear about the unique career that she has forged for herself so caught up for a quick Q&A. Read on…

Animal Vegetable Mineral Tasha Marks - Photo Paul Mitchell
Tasha Marks – Photo by Paul Mitchell.

You set up AVM shortly after leaving your degree. What first attracted you to first study food history and do you feel this is a much neglected area?
I was lucky enough to specialise in food history in the final year of my Art History degree at Sussex University, which is partnered with the V&A in London. I signed up to the 3rd year course not knowing what it was, as they had yet to confirm which curator would be available. I knew I wanted to study with the V&A so I took a risk. The year before it had been Chinese ceramics so I’m thrilled that I got silverware curator Ann Eatwell, who taught me the material culture of dining from 1300s to present. Although I had always been interested in food, my passion was ignited in those ten weeks, but I have no doubt it will last a lifetime. I think that food history is very much in vogue at the moment, but there are ‘food history superstars’ like Ivan Day and Peter Brears who constantly inspire new enthusiasts. Though it may have been neglected at one point in time, food is timeless, and we’ll always be interested in what we used to, are and will be eating in the future.

Animal Vegetable Mineral Edible Art Class - Photo Paul Singer (12)
You recently created some ‘Toxic Treats’, exploring not so edible confectionary: what did you make for this event and who was it for?
The event was an exploration of adulteration in 19th century foodstuffs; specifically sweets, which have a particularly sinister history. I felt that our prevailing image of the 1800s was a little one-dimensional, culminating in a Mrs Beeton-esque scene of copper jelly moulds and fancy cakes. But northing could have been further from the truth for the average London household. From children’s sweets dyed with copper, to wine sweetened with lead; we have a chronicle of counterfeit confectionary and falsified foodstuffs. Complimenting the lecture was a series of associated edibles; Fake Coffee Beans (made from chocolate and chicory), Milk Sherbet (with a Bakewell tart lolly), Toxic Tonic Sweets (which glowed in UV light) and an edible print of the Lozenge Maker. I could go on and on, but to understand the true nature of this horrible history you’ll have to come along to the next talk, happening later in the year…

Animal Vegetable Mineral Toxic Toffee (UV Sweets) - Photo Paul Singer
Animal Vegetable Mineral’s Toxic Toffee (UV Sweets).

Do you create all of the food that appears at your events (for instance at Eat Your Heart Out) or do you work with other people, and if so who?
I create all the AVM edibles myself, though I have a very supportive partner and a lovely younger brother (who is a chef) who will get involved to assist and execute events. Unfortunately I’m a bit of a perfectionist, so I’m very bossy in the kitchen. I’ll regularly work to 2/3am on a project because I want it a certain way and I completely lose track of time. In the case of Eat Your Heart Out, however, the event was a collaboration between me and more than 20 other bakers and makers. We all worked on our separate creations under the wonderful theme of the ‘anatomically correct cake shop’.

Animal Vegetable Mineral Edible Art Class - Photo Paul Singer (4)
How does it work if you attend one of your classes as a guest?
Every event is wildly different but they all aim to create a curious experience: a moment of wonder and edible excitement… both silly and cerebral in equal measure.

What prompted you to set up your company so soon after graduating? What have been the highlights so far?
Well I wrote my dissertation on jelly, so naturally I went on to intern at Bompas & Parr after I graduated (us jelly experts like to stick together!). I had a wonderful three months there, but felt like I should get a “proper” job so went to work for a children’s publishing agency. This was a terrible decision, as after nine months in an office I felt like completely drained. I realized then that I was someone who learnt through trial and error, and the best way of doing that was to start my own company. Animal Vegetable Mineral had been on the to do list since it university but only as a vague idea. So I started by working on projects that I was interested in and the company organically evolved as I went on. Two years later and I feel like AVM has a really strong identity, but I wouldn’t be where I am today without the wonderful collaborators I met along the way. Working with Pertwee, Anderson & Gold Gallery, The Robin Collective and Rambling Restaurant have led to some of my favourite projects, however I think that accidentally using a 2500-year-old Etruscan bowl to serve popcorn at the Museum of Curiosity has to be one of the most memorable moments!

Animal Vegetable Mineral Christ - Photo Paul Singer (1)
What next for AVM?
In the near future I’ll be contributing to another exciting group show at St Bart’s Pathology Museum; Sacred Tarts. Celebrating the sweeter side of religion through this more ecclesiastical of emporiums, amongst other exciting edibles I’ll be preparing Christ Cameos (made with church wine) and an edible Shroud of Turin. I’m also preparing for a solo art exhibition at the Herrick Gallery later in the summer, which is top secret for now but check the website for details. Plus in the meantime there’s some good old-fashioned messy, arty fun in the form of the Edible Art Class at The Book Club in Shoreditch, where I’ll be holding workshops in Chocolate Model-Making, Lickable Lifedrawing and Edible Painting-By-Numbers.

Categories ,Animal Vegetable Mineral, ,Ann Eatwell, ,AVM, ,AVM Curiosities, ,Bompas & Parr, ,Chocolate Model-Making, ,Christ Cameos, ,Eat Your Heart Out, ,Edible Art Class, ,Edible Painting-By-Numbers, ,Entrepreneur, ,Fake Coffee Beans, ,Food, ,Herrick Gallery, ,interview, ,Ivan Day, ,Jelly, ,Lickable Lifedrawing, ,Lozenge Maker, ,Milk Sherbet, ,Mrs Beeton, ,Museum of Curiosity, ,Paul Mitchell, ,Paul Singer, ,Pertwee Anderson & Gold Gallery, ,Peter Brears, ,Rambling Restaurant, ,Sacred Tarts, ,shoreditch, ,Shroud of Turin, ,St Bart’s Pathology Museum, ,Sussex University, ,Tasha Marks, ,The Book Club, ,The Robin Collective, ,Toxic Tonic Sweets, ,Toxic Treats, ,va

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Amelia’s Magazine | Art Car Boot Fair Review 2014

Art Car Boot Fair queue

The Art Car Boot Fair is a great leveller… a place where the big names on the British contemporary art scene share a packed car park with many more up and coming artists. And packed it certainly was this year, making this a less than ideal place to hang out with a tired toddler (yes, people really did sleep outside in order to secure a place in the queue). So I swept round with great speed, and as usual discovered that the lesser known artists were producing some of the most inspiring work. Here’s a round up of the stuff I liked best.

David Fenwick art car boot fair

This stand was manned by two young chaps in very dapper threads, artist David Fenwick and his cohort Damian Chandler. When I tried to find out more I was given short shrift and sent away with an information sheet that explained they would only sell paintings “if DD Gallery deem you fit for acquisition”. I suspect I would not have passed muster. This is exactly what you expect at the Art Car Boot Fair – a good dose of arrogance combined with humour – it’s not an atmosphere everyone will feel comfortable in.

Joseph Gibson art car boot fair

Next door artist, printmaker, carpenter and photographer Joseph Gibson was selling stacked and tied blocks of wood. There’s one innovative way of dealing with offcuts.

Art Car Boot Fair Pam Hogg

Along the way Pam Hogg was once more holding court.

Bob and Roberta Smith art car boot fair

The Instant Van Gogh, art car boot fair

Bob and Roberta Smith had a large placard atop his vehicle, all the better to flog his numerous typographic works. He was later discovered swapping artwork with a slightly dishevelled Instant Van Gogh.

Surf Mama matchboxes art car boot fair

Wilma Johnson surf mama book signing

It was good to see Wilma Johnson back for a second year and I am excited to read the paperback version of Surf Mama, published last week. Here she is signing my book… just look at the tassels, the hair, the jewels… and what a story, I’ve already started reading it.

Renegade Craft art car boot fair

I always love the curious characters on plates by Carrie Reichardt, renegade potter. Upcycling with a great sense of humour!

Matt Brown art car boot fair

Super smiley faces by Matt Brown display a slightly sinister air up close.

Art car boot fair prints

Icons of the silver screen: prints by Marty Thornton hanging off a van.

Chadwick sculpture art car boot fair

This neon kinetic mobile was blowing merrily in the breeze. It was created by the eccentric chap behind the Chadwick Oven, for making pizzas.

Art Car Boot Fair 2014-James Unsworth

James Unsworth had created a stand designed to emulate his web page and promote his Ninja Turtle Sex Museum series, and some rather fabulous Tiki ceramic skull mugs.

Cultural Product 1, Frances Richardson, Art car boot fair

I made a special trip back to the fair later in the day to ensure I got a good photo of Cultural Product 1 by Frances Richardson (my iphone is close to death and many of my first batch did not come out). This ceramics series was inspired by heritage tomatoes and each has a different tactile quality.

Disastronaut, Herrick Gallery, art car boot fair

I loved these upcycled flower paintings which have acquired enigmatic faces thanks to DJ/designer/artist Disastronaut, aka Jeffrey Louis-Reed, showing with the Herrick Gallery.

Cliff Pearcey Ukipper

This year Cliff Pearcey was inspired by the sea, producing a host of whimsical boats and fish from reclaimed wood and other oddments. We could not resist a couple of fish and acquired a UKipper fridge magnet too.

Theatre Of Dolls, art car boot fair

On my return I found these oddly wonderful prints by Theatre Of Dolls, a creative partnership between performance artists Frida Alvinzi and Raisa Veikkola.

Silvia Ziranek necklace, art car boot fair

I discovered these literal baubles by Silvia Ziranek just as the fair was closing. A colourful accessory from a colourful artist who has collaborated with Tatty Devine.

I must confess that I am hooked… and really hoping to catch the Folkestone edition of the Art Car Boot Fair, coming up on the 30th of August.

Categories ,2014, ,Art Car Boot Fair, ,Bob and Roberta Smith, ,Brick Lane, ,Carrie Reichardt, ,Chadwick Oven, ,Cliff Pearcey, ,Cultural Product 1, ,Damian Chandler, ,David Fenwick, ,DD Gallery, ,Disastronaut, ,Folkestone, ,Frances Richardson, ,Frida Alvinzi, ,Herrick Gallery, ,Instant Van Gogh, ,James Unsworth, ,Jeffrey Louis-Reed, ,Joseph Gibson, ,Marty, ,Marty Thornton, ,Matt Brown, ,Ninja Turtle Sex Museum, ,Pam Hogg, ,Raisa Veikkola, ,review, ,Silvia Ziranek, ,Surf Mama, ,Theatre Of Dolls, ,Truman Brewery, ,UKipper, ,Wilma Johnson

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