The Different Faces of Corn: workshop on food, culture, and society
The Different Faces of Corn: workshop on food, culture, and society
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Objective:
This workshop aims to analyze corn and its various representations in Mexican culture from a historical, symbolic, and social perspective. We will explore how maize has become woven into the Irish context and how it is reinterpreted within the Mexican diaspora in Ireland.
Maize is not just a crop; it is a cultural construct that has shaped Mexican identity. The struggle for its preservation is not only economic or ecological but also a symbolic fight for the right to maintain a way of life rooted in history and tradition.
Each session will include a theoretical discussion on the central themes, followed by a sensory experience where participants will taste foods made from corn. Through tasting and cultural analysis, we will reflect on how its uses and meanings evolve in a new environment. All food provided will be vegetarian.
Session 1: The tortilla and its foundation in Mexican cultures and its development in Ireland
📌 Topics:
Corn in Mesoamerican cosmology: myths, gods, and rituals.
The tortilla as a symbol of identity and community in Mexico.
Its evolution and adaptation in Irish cuisine.
The growing consumption and production of tortillas in Ireland.
🍴 Tasting: Handmade tortillas served with salsas.
Session 2: Corn and Cacao – Mestizaje and Adaptation in Gastronomy
📌 Topics:
The origins of cacao in Mesoamerica and its relationship with corn.
Mestizaje and the transformation of cacao and corn in Mexican cuisine.
Comparisons with Irish culinary traditions and possible adaptations.
🍴 Tasting: Homemade Cacao-corn traditional drink served with mexican sweet bread.
Session 3: Street Food as a Space for Community
📌 Topics:
The history and significance of street food in Mexico.
The relationship between corn and street food culture.
Is there a street food culture in Ireland? Comparisons and differences.
Street food as an alternative gastronomic experience.
🍴 Tasting: Esquites with various seasoning options.
Session 4: The Industrialization of Corn – Impact and Alternatives
📌 Topics:
Differences between native and genetically modified corn.
The impact of corn on the global food industry.
The industrialization of corn in the Irish food market.
Sustainable alternatives and the future of corn in food production.
🍴 Tasting: Corn cake served with coffee or tea.
📍 Location the workshop: Studio-Gallery Mestiza (14 Exchequer St Second floor, Dublin 2
💰 Cost: €60 (includes all food tastings)
🗓️ Start Date: Wednesday, March 12th at 6:30 PM
⏳ Duration: 2 hours per session (6:30PM to 8:30PM) , held every Wednesday for four weeks.
1 Session. March 12th
2 Session. March 19th
3. Session. March 26th
4. Session. April 2th
Taught by: Erick Gustavo Carrillo Ortiz
Erick studied a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master's in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy at Centro Eleia in Mexico. For six years, he dedicated himself to clinical psychotherapy and teaching. He also co-founded the magazine Inverosímil, where he collaborated with emerging artists to create hybrid articles focused on everyday experiences. Additionally, he coordinated art and literature workshops at Invernadëro, where he also led workshops on topics such as "art and psychoanalysis," "Walking to get Lost," "Art and Aesthetics," among others.
He currently resides in Ireland, where he completed a Master's in Visual and Critical Studies at TU Dublin, writing a dissertation on the representation of the microbus and its relationship with New Spanish Baroque churches. He is also a co-founder of the cultural project Fondita Mestiza, which merges art, gastronomic experiences, and critical thinking. In recent years, he has focused his studies on the cultural processes surrounding food, which have been showcased in art and culinary events at Fondita Mestiza, as well as in previous workshops Erick has facilitated, such as Grief and Food and Introduction to the Representations of Mexican Identities Through Food.
