Still Life with Banquet is an epicurean and media collaboration between chef Kitty Greenwald, former Montalvo Lucas Artist Residency culinary fellow, and media artist Grahame Weinbren, which investigates the contradictions present in 17th and 18th Century Dutch still-life paintings by translating them into a contemporary context.

The event will be held on September 14 as part of the 01SJ Biennial in the San Jose City Hall Rotunda.

This dramatic public area will be the setting for a unique and enlightening experience. Drawing on the talents of a collaboration of elite chefs brought together by Kitty Greenwald, a multi-course gourmet meal will be prepared using local, organically grown ingredients.

For the evening, guests will have exclusive use of this dramatic public space for an unforgettable dining experience. (Photo courtesy of sanjoseca.gov)

The only barrier to their creative artistry will be the requirement that they use the ingredients featured in still life composition being projected during the evening’s experience.

The projections of Dutch still-life paintings are the brainchild of Grahame Weinbren, a film, video, and multimedia artist whose interactive cinema installations have been exhibited in museums, galleries and festivals worldwide for over 20 years. His works have been displayed at venues such as Whitney Museum of American Art, MOCA in Los Angeles, the Guggenheim Museum, and the Centre Georges Pompidou.

For this evening’s dining experience, Grahame has specifically created a set of projections which will examine the ingredients from the different dishes naturally returning to the soil in an ecological process of decomposition.

I was able to catch up with Kitty Greenwald to discuss this upcoming event, her experience at Montalvo and her new projects. Still Life + Banquet, 01SJ BiennialStill Life with Banquet
In Partnership with Montalvo Arts Center
Tuesday, September 14
7:30pm
City Hall Rotunda, 200 East Santa Clara, San Jose, CA

Still Life with Banquet is an epicurean and media collaboration between chef Kitty Greenwald and media artist Grahame Weinbren, which investigates the contradictions present in 17th and 18th Century Dutch still-life paintings by translating them into a contemporary context.

During the event a multi-course meal that is prepared using local, organically grown ingredients, accompanied by high resolution projections modeled after Dutch still lives, of those very ingredients and table decorations used during the meal, naturally returning to the soil in an ecological process of decomposition.

Loni Stark is an artist at Atelier Stark, self-professed foodie, and adventure travel seeker who has a lifelong passion for technology’s impact on business and creativity. She collaborates with Clinton Stark on video projects for Atelier Stark Films. It’s been said her laugh can be heard from San Jose all the way up to the Golden Gate Bridge. She makes no claims to super powers, although sushi is definitely her Kryptonite.