FRIENDLY COMPETITION 2016

This years Memefest theme is: FOOD DEMOCRACY!

Food is probably the most significant part of our every day life. But besides its obvious importance to human beings, it plays an incredibly strong cultural, social and ideological role.

The production, distribution and consumption of food is highly regulated, controlled and surveillanced by corporations. Seeds, for example, are being genetically modified, copyrighted and imposed to farmers.

Food production is more and more centralised. In the situation where population numbers rise dramatically, the production of food becomes more expensive; food less accessible and harder to produce- food becomes a tool for geopolitical dominance and the processed food sold in the market, becomes more and more unhealthy. Food processing also harms the environment and the profitable monocultures destroy biodiversity.

Our food consumption is linked with particular cultural patterns- linked with pleasure, while a big part of the worlds population is starving. Our food system ruled by corporations excludes citizens from it. We almost do not have the possibility to participate in the way food is being produced, distributed, promoted and consumed.

Visual communication plays a crucial role in legitimising power structures build around food. But can Visual communication also shed some light and reveal these hidden powers? Can it change power relations and contribute to FOOD DEMOCRACY?

First, read Vandana Shiva's text Stolen Harvest. Click on this link.

Than watch the documentary Our Daily Bread by Nikolaus Geyrhalter.

What do you think about FOOD DEMOCRACY now? Now, respond to our provocations from your gut, from personal observations, from research, or from a mixture of all three with your critical writing.

Deadline for submissions is EXTENDED! May 31th, 2013!