Art What You Eat

Food and art have an intertwined history, from the rustic Egyptian murals depicting bread-making to the colorful fruits by Cézanne. However, probably most notable are the hyper realistic Dutch still lifes with highly skilled renderings of reflective silver and glassware, dew drops on flower petals, and feathers and fur of dead carcasses. No matter the style in which any of these is illustrated, they all reflect the times in which they were created. Food is an essential part of life and culture, and artists have continued to document our relationship to it in personal and profound ways.

Each of the "Art What You Eat" photographers works with food as their subject matter but has a unique approach to tell their individual story. Whether it is the captured moments of food preparation by Anna Routh Barzin, the frozen-in-time images of Harsha Sipani, or the abstracted, minimalist design approach of Dhanraj Emanuel, their work reflects and celebrates our current culture.

– Stacy Bloom Rexrode, Curator

About the Artists

Dhanraj Emanuel

Dhanraj Emanuel is a photographer and artist who explores the connections between people and food. For Emanuel, food is essential and universal. It is the setting where we connect, understand, and celebrate one another. Food is the common thread in our lives, history, culture, and sustenance for many, memory for some, but identity for all. His photographs seek out the meaningful connections between people and their culinary identities. 

Emanuel's work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including the 9th annual FENCE at Photoville, Reclaiming at Central Gallery, Revolution Mill in Greensboro, and Post-Colonialism and After, curated by Okwui Enwezor at the University of South Florida. His work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New York Times Style Magazine, and Food Network Magazine, and has been featured on NPR. 

He is recognized in Lürzer's Archive 200 Best Advertising Photographers Worldwide, with additional honors from the International Photography Awards, Graphis, AP39, and APA Chicago. He holds an MFA from the University of Memphis. Based in Greensboro, North Carolina, Emanuel is department head of photography at Randolph Community College in Asheboro and shoots for food brands worldwide.

Instagram: @dhanrajemanuel
Website: dhanrajemanuel.com

Anna Routh Barzin

Anna Routh Barzin is a commercial photographer specializing in food, hospitality, and interiors. Based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, she works with clients worldwide to create compelling imagery that tells the story behind a brand, a meal, or a space.  

Anna's photography has been featured in leading publications including Southern Living, Garden & Gun, The Local Palate, Food & Wine, and Our State. She has also photographed numerous cookbooks, helping authors and publishers bring recipes and culinary stories to life through thoughtful, evocative imagery.  

Known for her collaborative approach and attention to detail, Anna combines technical expertise with a deep understanding of food styling, visual storytelling, and brand identity. Whether photographing a celebrated chef, a boutique hotel, a thoughtfully designed interior, or a beautifully plated dish, her goal is always the same: to create images that feel genuine, memorable, and distinctly human.

Instagram: @annarouth
Website: annarouthbarzin.com

Harsha Sipani

Harsha Sipani is a North Carolina-based photographer and visual artist whose work explores food, culture, storytelling, hospitality, and human connection. Originally from India and now working in the United States, she brings a multicultural perspective to images that celebrate the artistry, traditions, and emotion surrounding food, craft, and everyday life.

Her background in visual communication, broadcast journalism, TV production, filmmaking, and marketing informs a practice that combines technical precision with narrative depth. Across commercial, editorial, travel, product, and fine art projects, she creates imagery for restaurants, chefs, hospitality brands, consumer product companies, publications, and exhibition contexts.

Her photographic practice encompasses food, product, editorial, travel, and fine art projects. Through her work, she seeks to transform everyday moments into meaningful visual narratives that invite viewers to reflect on culture, memory, craftsmanship, and the universal connections created through food.

Instagram: @harshasipani
Website: harshasipani.com