Immaterial: Chia

What can the tiny chia seed reveal about the history of oil painting?

What can the tiny chia seed reveal about the history of oil painting?

For centuries, one of the most prized mediums of art at museums like The Met has been oil painting, a European tradition embodied by the so-called “Old Masters.” This is the story of how the oil of the chia seed—yes, the same one that’s a staple add-on for smoothies and acai bowls—and its origins in Mexico could help us look at oil painting and our world with fresh eyes.

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