Last year saw a surfeit of wonderful art exhibits at Washington’s museums. For two at the National Gallery of Art, I can happily report on elements of food and cooking.
The Life of Animals in Japanese Art ran from June 2 to August 18, 2019.
Alas, this exhibit has already closed, but if you saw it, you know that it had a wonderful collection of art objects, all depicting animals or animal-like characteristics, ranging from religious themes, armor, pop art, clothing, and more, from Hokusai to Kusama to Issey Miyake.
The press breakfast for this exhibit featured some nods to Japan, in honor of the sponsors and diplomatic guests: green tea muffins, rice with a choice of toppings, toast with red bean paste.
During the tour, NGA Director Kaywin Feldman and the Japanese Ambassador admired the giant warrior god.
This wonderfully lifelike crab decorated the centerpiece of a serving-ware display. The octopus box has its own winsome charm.
There were other examples of serving dishes, these chargers among them. Full disclosure: My zodiac sign is a tiger.
There were several depictions of the moon rabbit legend, pounding rice for the Moon Goddess.
Still open, I promise, is Alonso Berruguete: First Sculptor of Renaissance Spain, through February 17, 2020. While I found nothing food-related to report in the exhibit, I’m delighted to relay that the Garden Café is presenting a selection of dishes “inspired by the cuisine of Renaissance Spain.” Cheeses, meats and desserts are on offer, and mains include a delicious oven-roasted chicken paella curated by Executive Chef Christopher Curtis. (Paella for breakfast? Why not?)
More information about Chef Chris can be found in my previous article: The Apple, the Coffeepot, the Chef, and the Artist.
Many culturally-connected Spanish citizens were present at the press event. I compared notes with Maria about the churros with chocolate sauce, so this is not just my opinion: the sauce was too thin! But we agreed that the paella, meats, and cheeses were first-rate.
And the exhibit is spectacular. The first room, filled with paintings, drawings and sculpture, only hints at the splendor of the second. It’s filled with sculped, gilded figures from the retablo mayor (high altarpiece) of the church of San Benito el Real in Valladolid, Spain, lent by that city’s Museo Nacional de Escultura. Pictures cannot do it justice – you should go see it, and take in the gilded splendor of the massed figures for yourself.
