What is a tomato?
How do we know something is a tomato?

This project explores the idea of using a tool— in this case, translation. Whilst we normally associate translation with language, this project aims to explore translation through form. How can the essence of an object be pushed into different forms and mediums?

Certain aspects of the nature of translation have been of interest to this project. One being the instance of mistranslation. Things often get lost in translation, and at it’s extreme turns into something else entirely. This is something the project aims to explore - how much can you translate the essence of an object until it no longer has any resemblance to its original form?

Through the incorporation of analog and digital processes, various objects were produced using the idea, form, and image of a tomato. These artifacts have been collected physically, in a book, and digitally through this site. The full scope of the project can only be experienced when the physical object and digital space are viewed simultaneously.

A frequent contest is whether a tomato is a fruit or a vegetable. This idea of viewing the tomato through different lenses reflects the idea of different types of translation.

Fruits are a part of nature’s reproductive system. They allow the spread of seeds and the continuation of plant species. As a fruit, the tomato holds power.

The resulting works generated from the project feel organic, yet challenge our idea of what a tomato is and can be.



Themis