“Tomato, Tomaaatoes” video, 2009
“Tomato, Tomaaatoes” is a video composed of a series of stills of each tomato harvested from my family’s small, raised-bed garden. This collection is from one summer when we grew 100 pounds of tomatoes. 15 different varieties of tomato plants are represented. This work depicts a small amount of variegation of a common fruit with many health benefits, complex tastes, smells, shapes/sizes and textures that has been genetically altered to be commonly consumed as homogeneously round, red, and bland. My young children learn many things from our garden ecosystem, such as: cause and effect; how plants come from seeds; how they can be eaten; how bugs and birds pollenate; how insects harm and protect plants; how soil, water, weather and sun effect growth; why some plants are considered weeds; when something can be eaten; and, short and long term growth rates. More of Gabriel Akagawa’s “home-based” artworks are at http://afternature.blogspot.com/