The story of still-life painting started in Ancient Greece when Zeuxis painted raisins which were so realistically reproduced that birds would try to pilfer them.

Continue reading Still life and “gastronomic fetishism” →

Roland Verant is only 35 years old. He is an Austrian photographer. He passed 42 days in one of the most dangerous zones of the world: Chernobyl.
Normally a no-go zone, the area around the destroyed nuclear reactor rarely sees tourists and visitors. But Verant has captured the eerie scenes where nearly 30 years ago the world’s worst nuclear disaster took place.
I saw the photos and they are impressive. Among unmade beds, abandoned meals and empty swimming pools covered in dust, that offer glimpses into the lives left behind, I was struck by two photos in particular. Continue reading An artist of courage →

Last week I was in Paris. I entered into a major art gallery. Bright, large, located in a beautiful part of the city. The young woman who welcomed me was eating a sandwich and he hastens to hide it behind a stack of catalogs that were on his desk. Continue reading The art that needs to be explained, is not art →

A wonderful exhibition just opened in the Principality of Monaco, at the well know cultural espace Scripta Manent (in Latin: the writings stay). 100 important cooking books made by authors-artists between the XV and the XIX centuries are exposed for the eclectic public, used here to see beautiful and  valuable things. Some of the most astonishing creations, like the “Opera” illustrated by Bartolomeo Scappi, who was the cook of the only anorexic Pope of the history, Pius V. You can admire 27 engraved plates that illustrate the containing of a Renaissance kitchen. Price: on request. Very rare book, you can admire another copy at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. www.scriptamanent-monaco.com

Arts & Foods. Rituals since 1851 is an exhibition curated by Germano Celant, which will be held at the Triennale in Milan from April 9 to November 1, 2015 Under the architectural direction of Studio Italo Rota, visitors will have the opportunity to immerse themselves physically in a spectacular route where works of art, drawings and architectural models, films, objects, documents, books, menus, and album covers bring to life a narrative that set works and images in their own historical, sociological and anthropological context.

With the Expo Milano 2015 entrance ticket you can visit the Arts & Foods exhibition at the Milan Triennale for free.

Arts & Foods. Rituals since 1851: the chronological itinerary

The itinerary follows the topic of food though its preparation, distribution and sharing, in both the private and public spheres.  More than 15 spaces host the exhibition dedicated to the  places of food and its representation in paintings, furniture, objects, sculptures, appliances, photographs, menus, books  and record covers.