presentation:

The Chromatic Dinner

At L.A. Design Festival

7 Jun 2018
9 Jun 2018

After a succesfull version of these dinners at Mediamatic last fall, The Chromatic Dinner travels to L.A. Design Festival. Based on Kandinsky's Klangfarben and the Chinese Five elements, Artist Martin Butler and vegan chef Alexander Gershberg present a wholesome and harmonious eating experience. Each course is designed in a different color. As such, color, smell, texture, sound and taste all mixed together in this cross-atlantic recap of this fully immersive second edition of Mediamatic’s Neo-Futurist Dinners.

Get an impression of The Chromatic Dinner, the L.A. edition here.

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Martin and Alexander - Chiara Barraco

Neo-Futurist Dinners

In Roman times, the art of dining incorporated all the known senses to create a total gastronomic experience. In accordance with the ancient experience of dining, the futurist movement at the beginning of the 20th century experimented with sensational gastronomy. Almost 100 years later, Mediamatic takes on their concept and organizes the Neo-Futurist Dinners. These eating experiences aim to re-think the way in which the world of food, art, and science come together, resulting in a multi-sensory dinner scene.

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Wearing red blindfolds - Participants wearing red blindfolds during the green starter during the Chromatic dinner Anisa Xhomaqi

Five senses, five courses

Following the logic of sense, this dining experience challenges the way food influences our emotions, sensations, thoughts, and associations. For the Chromatic Dinner, Martin Butler researched stems from studies in Synesthesia, a perceptual condition in which the stimulation of one sense triggers an automatic, involuntary experience in another sense. As such, the dinner experience questions if colour can create emotion, and if that emotion and colour can be enhanced by combining it with other senses. 

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The first course of the Chromatic Dinner is Green. Red Blindfolds are used to enhance the experience -

Every course is inspired by a different color, corresponding to one of the Chinese elements: Tree, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. Quoting synesthesia, a perceptual condition in which the stimulation of one sense triggers an automatic, involuntary experience in another sense, this evening holds many sensational surprises.

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Blue Course during Chromatic Dinner - Anisa Xhomaqi

How will you be affected by sour green sounds, followed by hot red tastes and earthy sweet sensations? Do you think metal tastes white and salt relates to a black watery winter?

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Unpacking the Yellow Course - Inspired by the ideas of Kandinskys's principles of Klangfarben, and the influence of the Chinese five elements: Tree, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, each course is created in accordance to the colour and underlaying principles of each element. Anisa Xhomaqi

Martin Butler

Through an interdisciplinary approach, artist and stage director Martin Butler always hopes to bridge and combine various disciplines such as dance, theatre, music, film, performance, new media, and fashion. He was trained in drama at Manchester University, and then later choreography and performance at the SNDO in Amsterdam. Since 1998, he has been creating performance work at various theatres and festivals internationally.

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Synesthetic dining during the white course from Chromatic Dinner -

Alexander Gershberg

Vegan chef, Alexander Gershberg, was born in Russia, raised in Israel and is currently based in Amsterdam. He founded Vegan Sundays, with which he organizes pop-up events and cooking workshops. As a chef, he has always been interested in more than just taste, concerning himself with the way in which food also influences life in a broader sense.

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Chef Alexander Gerhberg preparing the green starter - Anisa Xhomaqi

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Second course from the Chromatic Dinner: Red Course on a mirror plate - Anisa Xhomaqi

Information
Neo-Futurist Dinner: The Chromatic Dinner
7 June 7 PM
9 June 10 PM
Los Angeles, Design Festival
Buy Tickets Here