A Trilogy of Food, Photography And Social Media: Gastroporn

Abstract

Eating is a biologically fundamental human activity. However, the real importance of eating stems not from its biological necessity but from its symbolic character. Food and eating also have psychological, social, and political significance. Food is a means by which love and desire are expressed and communicated. In addition, food serves purposes beyond filling the stomach, such as self-construction, identity formation, social status, gaining prestige, showing others who you are, and differentiating from others. In this context, the concept of gastroporn is considered a form of food that has moved away from its true meaning and undergone a shift in meaning and is expressed as aesthetic images of unattainable pleasure that replace real food. The presentation and visualization of the food, the preparation of the food, and the kitchen materials used often become more important than the food itself. Changing the existing image of the food and serving it with presentations that can emphasize the feelings and emotions of the consumer is the main reason underlying gastroporn. Although the pairing of food with pornography in the classical sense may sound repulsive and irreconcilable at first, the fact that the artistic aspect rather than the food itself comes to the fore in the dishes made with artistic mastery by the chefs in the kitchen, the "irresistible" erotic connotations of some ingredients and the professional photography of all these reveal the similarities between food and pornography. The sexual connotations of foods such as a burst yolk, a runny chocolate bar, and the elongation of hot cheese, bananas, ice cream, etc., reinforce the connection between food and pornography. The main thing emphasized in this article is that the concept of gastroporn is a new form of transforming food and that social media and food photography contribute positively to this new form.