Nicholas Blechman

Nicholas Blechman

Cynthia Hazen Polsky and Leon Polsky Rome Prize
September 7, 2012–March 11, 2013
Profession
Art Director, New York Times
Project title
Nozone XI: INDIGESTION (The Food Issue)
Project description

I would like to envision the future of food through graphic design and illustration, by creating a new issue of Nozone, a magazine that I edit and design. Experts agree: we are facing a food crisis. What will we eat when the world population hits ten billion? Will Monsanto save us from starvation—or will the community agriculture movement? Will crickets become our protein of choice when meat becomes too expensive—and too destructive? Italy, host of the next World’s Fair—whose theme will be “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”—is the perfect place to investigate and illustrate these questions. I want to interview food activists, apprentice at a pasta factory, and tap into the thriving Italian illustration and design scene. Inspired by Mona Talbott’s Rome Sustainable Food Project, I would love to bring this project to life at the American Academy.