[Photography] Cafeteria Artwork - : A Photo Album of Color & Black and White Photographs Documenting School Cafeterias and Lunches

136 photographs (125 of which are in color, 11 of which are black and white, and 26 of which are loose in a plastic sleeve). Photo album 29cm x 25cm, a bit bumped, with some wear to the head and tail of the spine. Sizes vary: 8.7cm x 8.5cm to 10cm x 15cm.

A unique collection of photographs documenting the art work created for school cafeterias in various towns northwestern and north central Ohio. Most of the photographs appear to be from the mid-1980s, but a few later, loose photos, are also from 1997 (when a cafeteria worker retired), and one additional photo is dated 2004 on the back.

This is a rare glimpse into an important, but not often documented, part of American food culture: the school cafeteria lunch. Pictures show kids serving themselves food; food being prepared; the students at the lunch tables eating; and the cafeteria staff cleaning and maintaining equipment in the kitchen. There are also pictures of the kitchen workers relaxing and socializing. I would imagine that the album was made over a few decades and by someone who worked during those years in various school cafeterias in Ohio. In fact, it may have been made by a woman named Peggy, for it is her retirement party that the photos from April, 1997, come from.

There are many pictures of hand-made cafeteria signs, each incorporating a word-play in the announcement. For example, "We have the BEAST lunches in town!" with a hairy beast drawn in the background; "You'll love GOBLIN' up our lunches!" with a goblin on the side; or "You'll get hooked on our FISH sandwiches" with the be-gilled Creature from the Black Lagoon looking on. One very detailed sign reads "Have a hot lunch...it's good for what's ALIEN YA!" To the side is a colorful rendition of the creature from the Alien movie; this sign has "© '84, by David Lady" written in the lower right corner. Peggy's retirement card continued this playfulness with language as her co-workers turned it into a rebus with names on packages of junk food used to replace some of the words in her going away card.

Some of the foods pictured are tacos; cartons of milk; bags of potato chips; white buns; small round disks (hamburger patties?); mini pizzas; cottage fries; red delicious apples and oranges; jello in plastic cups; pistachio ice cream in cups; chocolate milk in little cartons; colorful squeeze bottles of sauces; plastic-wrapped sandwiches; and cheeseburgers in foil under hot lamps.

The photographs are preserved in a scrubbable, somewhat pillowy, photo album with flowers and the word "HAWAII" printed on the front.

A fascinating, vernacular photograph and artwork collection, offering a rare, intimate view into a niche of American food culture: "the school cafeteria."