In Japan, high-end sushi is called “Edomaezushi.” The “zushi” part is easy to understand. It sounds like sushi, but the word is modified euphonically. Su-shi hint at its roots and its transformation. “Su” is the Japanese word for vinegar, an early food preservative that lives on in many countries in the form of pickles. In China, fish used to be preserved in rice and salt. The rice was thrown out, and only the fish was eaten!
In the Fourteenth Century, the Japanese began adding vinegar to the rice-fish mix. In the urban areas, when McDonald’s was no where in sight, merchants ate the dish (fish and rice with vinegar added) from outside stalls as a type of fast food. In the Meiji Era (1868-1912), the period of government-driven westernization, the trend of serving fish on rice with wasabi (spicy green mustard) caught on. “Edo” was the old name of Tokyo, and “mae,” meaning “front," refers to what was in front of Tokyo—Tokyo Bay.
Today, sushi is one of the few traditional dishes that have become enthusiastically embraced and a prestige dish worldwide. The selection of the freshest ingredients, meticulous preparation, and savory (umami) flavors linked to fermentation makes for an eating experience that can transport a diner to another world. Ironically, sushi has become such a global hit yet its traditional ingredients are hard to obtain fresh in many places where sushi is served. Further, the discipline and years of experience required to make the best sushi are challenging to duplicate overseas. Nevertheless, more and more people have come to love sushi.
“(T)hese days, everyone loves sushi!” is Skyler’s playful observation that there seems to be no end to who will become sushi fans or practitioners—even those from the animal kingdom, including the sea itself. So this work asks what do we gain and lose in sushi’s globalization? The style applies strong oil paint brush strokes that remind the viewer of waves and the transformation of objects under the sea's influence.
