Pull back lid to dotted line. Fill cup to inside line with boiling water

Close lid. Let stand for 3 minutes.

Remove lid. Stir well and enjoy.

Millions of people have followed these instructions for a quick, easy and affordable meal. Hot, savory and fast, it’s offered respite to those with little time to cook. It’s simplicity and accessibility has made it ubiquitous for generations, enjoyed in solitary moments or among friends and family. From boiling the water, leading to the first bite and last sip of broth, each experience is a ritual of creating a new memory, marked by taste. Over the years, instant noodles have grown beyond the boundaries of the cups or bowls they come packaged within. One of the truest examples of human creativity and ingenuity, the simple pantry product has been remixed, “hacked” and expanded upon countless times to create new dishes and snacks. Methods of preparation created by individuals or part of a collective consciousness have been shared and passed along, cementing their place in the world right alongside the basic noodles themselves. No longer just a simple staple but a basis for more complex meals and the memories shared within those meals.

To celebrate the creative spirit of instant noodles we asked artists to tap into their memories and own instant noodle preparation methods to inspire and create new works of art out of the base noodle cup.