Joanne Chan
Love fruit? Love design? Joanne Chan does, so she combined her twin loves into fruit art. She tells Yannie Chan about the unique art form, and her passion for all things fruity.
HK Magazine: So, what is fruit art?
Joanne Chan: There is not yet a recognized definition. But it mostly refers to the creation of different shapes and forms through cutting, carving and stacking fruits. In the Western world, many mothers dedicate a lot of time to fruit art, to tempt their kids to eat fruit.
HK: Would you call it proper art?
JC: I treat fruit art as one form of art. I studied fine arts at university, and with fruit art you’re using similar techniques by studying the colors and textures of different fruits. When I’m making fruit art, I don’t treat the fruit as food, but as a medium.
HK: How did you get into fruit art?
JC: My skin has suffered from eczema since I was one year old. I had a lot of red spots all over my face. Each glance at the mirror made me feel worse about myself. I couldn’t even get myself out the door. When exercising and medical treatments didn’t work, I resorted to natural treatments. I came across a diet of only raw vegetables and fruits, and it cured my skin after several months. I was spending so much time with fruit, I decided to cut up some peaches and arrange them one night.
HK: When did you decide to take on the mantle of “fruit artist”?
JC: It remained purely an interest until my original creation “McApple” (above). I came up with “McApple” because many kids nowadays prefer eating fries to fruits. So parents can make a deal with their kids, and ask them to eat a “McApple” every time they get an order of fries. When Western food artists started copying my work, I realized how much impact my creation had. A lot of fruit art is restricted to the plate, but the “McApple” is a successful 3D fruit art piece. I decided I wanted to be a fruit artist, to encourage a healthy lifestyle.
HK: Does it work with kids too?
JC: I organized a fruit art workshop for parents and children. The minute the mother made a Winnie-the-Pooh-shaped watermelon, the child reached for the fruit and ate it. We normally only eat one kind of fruit at once, and it’s boring. But when you bring five fruits together, it’s much more colorful and attractive.
HK: Are you sad you have to eat your creations afterwards?
JC: It’s actually what I like about fruit art. When I studied design, the pieces I created didn’t really have any use and they took up a lot of space. But with fruit art, all you have to do is take a photograph afterwards. Then the best part—you get to eat it! Fruit art is good value for money. I get to satisfy my design urges, and eat fruit. Some children in my workshop said they don’t want to eat their creation, but the process of making fruit art is not complete if you don’t eat your piece.