For my video art project, I wanted to explore my experience with dyslexia in a symbolic, rather than literal, way. Growing up, dyslexia meant extra time on reading tests, speech practice, and long nights at the kitchen table with my mom teaching me acronyms to help me spell. One of those acronyms was APPRECIATE, a word that stayed with me.
In this piece, I use food and plates as the main visual language. Each letter of the acronym appears on a different meal, turning everyday dishes into moments of learning. Food becomes a metaphor for the way I “digested” words—sometimes imperfectly, sometimes messily, but always with patience, care, and support.
The visual tone of the video is inspired by the playful, offbeat food shots seen in Jared Hess films like Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre.
APPRECIATE is both a memory and a thank-you to the people who helped me learn, and to myself for sticking with it.
Note: There is intentionally no sound on this video.