So excited to share our work on chia through The Metropolitan Museum of Art‘s Immaterial podcast! “Immaterial: Chia – Beyond superfoods and infomercials” covers what can the tiny chia seed reveal about the history of oil painting, our analytical research, and recent trip to visit artisans in Mexico.

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.

Listen to the podcast to learn more!