Forget what your parents said: Playing with your food is not only acceptable, it’s a relaxing pastime. At least that’s what one Northwestern alumnus discovered. Harley Langberg (WCAS ‘10) lives in New York and started experimenting with food art last year, imitating artists like Pablo Picasso and Banksy with Oreos, eggplant, rosemary and an array of other foods.
“It’s just a fun hobby, like going to a movie,” Langberg says.
He tries to make one project each week, which can take anywhere from one to five hours, depending on what materials he’s using. While creating food art can be difficult, Langberg says it gets easier with practice.
“It’s just fun,” he says. “I want to keep doing it forever.”
Langberg also sees a greater message in his work: educating others about unique fruits and vegetables, and encouraging healthy eating. His artwork also plays on names like making Julius Caesar out of Caesar salad, and a dragon out of dragonfruit.
But Langberg is still using his Northwestern education—he has no intention to quit his full time job at CMS Technology, where he’s putting all those economics classes to use.
Langberg’s work is becoming more popular with a recent feature on Refinery29’s Instagram page for New York Fashion Week and more collaborations in the works.
Although he “didn’t expect to see a penny” out of food art, Langberg says many people are willing to pay for plates at dinner parties or even album artwork. After all, eggplant Picassos are not that easy to come by.