Food is a symbol of life itself, giving us an identity, a home, and many of the cultural rules we live by. For the ethnologist Claude Lévi-Strauss, cooking food was human beings’ first cultural act and thus marked the beginning of civilization and craftsmanship. In today’s affluent society, however, food has evolved into a creative means of self-expression and almost an ersatz religion. At the same time, the explosive growth of the world’s population, along with climate change, resource scarcity, hunger, and over-production are placing increasing demands on human health and hygiene, and geopolitical crises are causing us to rethink our methods of food production, packaging, distribution, consumption, and disposal. In the exhibition "Food Revolution 5.0", the MK&G sheds light on one of the most pressing issues of the 21st century, asking what the future of human nutrition might look like in a society where unbridled growth is coupled with dwindling resources. The exhibition takes a critical look at the global food industry and the diverse visions designers, architects, and scientists are developing for the urgently needed changes. "Food Revolution 5.0" makes their questions and research visible and tangible for visitors while trying to raise awareness for the fact that the future of humankind will depend largely on the future of nutrition. The MK&G approaches this complex subject by way of four narrative threads that engage with the current discourse on food and eating: Farm, Market, Kitchen, and Table. These four lines of thought at the same time embody the food cycle from resource to production to processing to consumption.

The exhibition is made possible by the generous support of the Kulturstiftung des Bundes.