Art Installations Target 78 Million Tonnes of Food Waste to Feed the Hungry

The Architecture of Waste

India discards an estimated 78 million tonnes of food every year, a figure that averages out to 55 kilograms per person. To address this disparity, visual artist Sourabh Chouhan and architect Sumessh Menon launched the Abundance and Absence exhibition. Commissioned by Kuche7, the installation utilized an 8-foot stainless steel table featuring hyper-realistic sculptures of half-eaten meals. Using the Japanese craft of sampuru, artist Bonani Hazarika meticulously recreated the remains of dal, biryani, and roti to mirror the exact moment appetite is satisfied and excess begins.

Visual Evidence and Socio-Economic Maps

The exhibition functioned as a narrative arc designed to provoke discomfort. A central feature, The Crime Wall, utilized forensic-style photography to document discarded meals at weddings, restaurants, and street stalls. These images were presented as case files, stripping away the anonymity of domestic and commercial waste. Alongside these photographs, a food-based pyramid illustrated the global crisis of access, where over 800 million people lack a guaranteed meal while the top tiers of the socio-economic ladder remain saturated with surplus.

Quantifiable Impact Through Local Partnerships

Rather than leaving visitors with a sense of helplessness, the exhibition provided a direct mechanism for relief. A dedicated Pledge Wall allowed attendees to convert their presence into tangible support. For every individual who committed at the wall, five meals were donated through the Robin Hood Army. By the conclusion of the event, 1,253 visitors had participated, resulting in the funding of 6,265 meals for those in need.

• Total Meals Pledged: 6,265 units donated via the Robin Hood Army.
• Total Attendees: 1,253 participants committed to the cause.
• National Context: India's annual food waste reaches 78 million tonnes.
• Ongoing Support: A coalition of architects led by Sumessh Menon continues monthly donation efforts.

Source: The Better India