Art Kitchen/Science Studio: Salt

Teaching Artists use works of art from the Museum’s collection as a starting point to explore the shared materials, methods, and myths associated with art, food, and science. Hands-on demonstration, experimentation, taste testing, and art making provide the perfect recipe for learning.

Salt may seem like a common item, but it has been valued in civilizations throughout history because of its wide-ranging functionality, including food preparation, currency, health and beauty benefits, and early photography techniques. This Art Kitchen/Science Studio investigates properties of salt, from the delicate quality of the photographs on view in the exhibition Salt & Silver: Early Photography, 1840–1860, to its powerful ability to ferment and preserve vegetables. Bradley Bennett from Santa Barbara’s Pacific Pickle Works shares his knowledge of the fermentation process and provides samples from his company’s kitchen.