Starving Artists Controversy?

Artists may have found a way to solve their insatiable hunger and appease ours. During the year 2005 in Miami, "visitors to an international art show were invited to place flavored strips representing paintings and photos on their palates. Visitors to Visionaire art magazine's "taste bar" were offered postage-stamp-sized strips that dissolve like film breath mints. They were developed in conjunction with artists, and the artwork paired with each flavor was displayed menu-like above the bar." read full article.

Naturally the flavored strips were as diverse and controversial as art itself can sometimes be.

"Visionaire and New York-based International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. spent about a year on this project." Now fast forward to the Today Show:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

As stated in the video clip by the company's President/CEO and confirmed on their site, First Flavor was "Inspired by the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971 Warner Brothers Studio)" A remarkably striking resemblance can be found in the article "Miami exhibit invites visitors to taste some art" about the "postage-stamp-sized" flavored strips:

"It's very Willy Wonka," said John Steele of Visionaire, likening the exhibit to the scene in Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," where a character experiences a three-course meal in a stick of gum."

I don't know what came first the chicken or the egg, paint or canvas, or the Visionaire and New York-based International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. or First Flavor, Inc. I don't know if any or all of the companies are related, helped, or influenced the other. Notably though, in the year 2005; "First Flavor was founded by marketing entrepreneurs and innovators with over 100 years of combined experience building companies valued at over a billion dollars. Working with our strategic partners, industry leaders in the areas of flavor science and marketing".

Nevertheless; I think Artists have gotten the raw end of the deal. Seems the Artists involved in the Miami exhibit, at least helped to advance the concept of flavored strips. And so the question remains, are some Artists left to starve once again? If so, I recon they can only hope to find disposed of magazines. Perhaps inside will be First Flavor's "Peel ‘n Taste flavor strips". These "are edible film strips (similar to popular breath strips) which are flavored to the taste experience of a food or beverage brand. Each strip is packaged in easy-to-open, tamper evident foil pouches that ensure a quality product and safe trial experience."

Of course, this is to "enhance" advertising not Artists.

Note, the Peel 'n Taste Marketing System is "using patent-pending technology."