BRIANNA RODRIGUEZ
age 13
United States of America
this World Food Day poster was inspired by the amazing things I learned in Ms. Jeong’s art class about Korean culture, history, and food. Ms. Jeong taught us how, during difficult times like wars and colonization, Korean farmers developed incredible skills to keep food healthy and lasting for a long time. I was fascinated by how much wisdom is in the food itself and how these skills helped people survive, even when times were very hard. This really made me see how food isn’t just about eating; it’s about resilience and knowledge passed down through generations.
We learned how foods like kimchi, plant-based banchans (side dishes), beans, grains, and even marinated BBQ are packed with nutritious ingredients and prepared in ways that help them stay fresh. I was especially amazed by how kimchi and other fermented foods are made to last, providing vitamins and health benefits that kept communities strong. It’s inspiring to think about how these traditions were not just for flavor, but also for health, using plant-based ingredients to make dishes that could last a long time and keep people nourished.
In creating my artwork, I wanted to show the fusion of Korean, Afro, and Hispanic foods to represent how different cultures can connect through food and the wisdom behind it. I used watercolor to capture the freshness and vibrancy of these dishes, blending soft colors to make the food look real and lively. Then I added pencil sketch details and a touch of digital effects to bring out the colors and textures, especially for dishes like Korean BBQ with African spices, kimchi with Hispanic herbs, and plantains with Korean rice bowls.
For the background, I drew from our art teachers stories about Korean farming and combined symbols from African and Hispanic cultures, which I hope show how food can connect people across the world. I learned that in other places too, people are starting to recognize the wisdom in foods like these, and I hope my artwork helps others see how powerful and meaningful these food traditions are