Do we know where our meals really come from? In the UK and USA, more than half of the average diet comprises ultra-processed foods. Claudio Dell’Osa’s (b. 1971) Cutting series brings this issue into stark focus. Here, the Italian photographer presents cross-sections of Mediterranean fruits and vegetables: asparagus, chicory, fennel, parsley, peppers and more. Dell’Osa includes the whole plant – leaves, roots and soil – in the frame, encouraging view- ers to consider the plant’s biology in close detail. It’s also about acknowledging the whole story behind the produce we eat, from farm to table, as well as rebuilding connections with the natural world that have been lost to convenience. Stylistically, meanwhile, art history- lovers might be reminded of 17th century Spanish bodegón paintings – like Juan Sánchez Cotán’s Quince, Cabbage, Melon and Cucumber (1602) – in which commonplace foodstuffs are rendered against stark, almost supernatural, deep black backdrops. claudiodellosa.com

All images: Claudio Dell’Osa, from from Cutting. Image courtesy of the artist.