While some will argue that the southeastern United States has the best food in the country, locals might be surprised to learn just how diverse the food culture really is. An exhibition at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College’s Georgia Museum of Agriculture explores those unexpected food cultures through “Listen to the Land: Food Cultures.”

This student-run and produced multimedia project exhibition will open on Saturday, September 7 at 6 p.m. in the GMA’s Gallery.

The project, which launched in the spring semester of 2024, showcases the diverse food traditions found in South Georgia and the individuals who observe them. American Trapper, Indian, Jamaican, Southern Soul, Turkmen, Slovak, and Native American food cultures are all represented in this captivating multimedia exhibition.

Under the guidance of ABAC School of Arts and Sciences professor Dr. Thomas Grant and GMA Curator Polly Huff, 10 ABAC students studying broadcasting have dedicated their time and talent to bring this project to life. Five of these students - Hunter Holton, Anfernee McDonald, Jalen Edmundson, Abisai Vazquez, and Anthony Baisden - completed a summer curatorial internship at the museum, contributing to the finalization of the exhibition.

“The gallery exhibition is a fusion of visual arts, the written word, digital arts, and a recipe interactive,” said Huff. “Guests can expect to see life-sized photos of seven local cooks or chefs, each highlighting a unique and unexpected food culture from the surrounding area. Interpretive panels will accompany the photos, sharing the stories of these individuals and their deep connection to the land and the food they love to cook. Visitors can take home a copy of each chef’s signature recipe at the interactive recipe station.”

The digital component of the exhibition includes an ArcGIS story map, providing a captivating virtual tour of each featured culture/country and connecting global locations to the local stories.

Additionally, a short documentary film will be screened, exploring how cooking traditional food helps individuals relate to others and serves as a universal language of hospitality. TikToks featuring the chefs preparing their signature recipes, accompanied by traditional music from their respective cultures, will also be showcased.

To celebrate the opening of the exhibition, ABAC Dining will host a reception featuring an international array of bites that highlight some of the cultures featured in the project. Following the film screening and opening reception, guests will have the opportunity to engage with the chefs, project staff, and interns, who will be available to answer questions and provide guided tours of the exhibit.

The “Listen to the Land: Food Cultures” exhibition will be on display until December 13, 2024.

After the opening night, the exhibition will be included with daily admission to the GMA, allowing visitors to continue exploring the rich and diverse food cultures of South Georgia.

For more information about the exhibition and to access the ArcGIS story map, please visit Listen to the Land: Food and Culture (arcgis.com).