Cigarette butts, painted flies, an earthworm, and fake sushi
now showing at Wunderrūma: New Zealand Jewellery (finishes 28th Sept). If you are still hungry, next door the food theme continues with sheep entrails (be thankful for the BW photo) swiss rolls and neenish tarts in a very well executed exhibition of Peter Peryer's work ending 23rd November. Bon Appetit
High tea by moonlight anyone? An exhibition at Mahara Gallery by Jonathan Cameron shows “alluring” photographs of a high tea. Recipes photographed include Blood Velvet Cake, White Chocolate Scone with Bloodberry Jam, Summer Pudding with Bloodberry Coulis, Blood Panacotta Tart with Rose Petals, Bloodberry Slice and Vodka Blood Jelly. The recipes made by Jonathan and his partner Michelle all include blood.These morbid images satisfy art world cravings (and vampires) but would not be attractive to my real world food clients.
Blood velvet cake
White chocolate scone with bloodberry jam by Jonathan Cameron
Summer pudding with bloodberry coulis by Jonathan Cameron.
Blood panacotta tart with rose petals, by Jonathan Cameron.
Bloodberry slice by Jonathan Cameron.
Vodka Bloodberry Jellys by Jonathan Cameron.
The Mahara Gallery exhibition has finished but you can view this exhibition and more of Jonathan's work here
Gueorgui Pinkassov photo on Slow magazine cover
Slow, the food magazine published by the Slow Food Movement from 1998 through to 2007 is the most fabulous magazine I have ever laid my hands on.
It has a most tactile feel (pages are Bioprima Book Paper), the covers (Fabria card from the Miliani Fabriano Mills) are beautifully designed and the use of photography is extraordinary.
Ferdinando Scianna photo on cover of Slow magazine
It is the only time I have seen elephant hunting in colour paired up with black and white photographs of breast-feeding mothers. To top that off the magazine is full of Magnum photography from practitioners as diverse as Henri Cartier Bresson, Chris Steel Perkins and Gueorgui Pinkhassov. If you can track a copy down great – I have been lucky to have loaned a few copies from a friend.
The Elephant hunting story is illustrated with photos by Magnum photographers Martine Franck, Dennis Stock and also by Eugene Richards a past member of Magnum. Issue No. 46 has a funny photograph by Magnum photographer Chein Chi Chang and another amusing photo by Ferdinando Scianna of a bar scene in Miami, Florida. On a more sombre note issue No. 50 has a striking image taken at the Tokyo Fish Market by Bruno Barbey.
The magazine may have ceased but at least the Slow Food Movement is still going.
The inedible food at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party seemed very un-birthday partyish but after being served free tea and Kiwiana themed biscuits the mood became more festive. Although surrounded by tea cosies rather than mad hats this exhibition at the Kapiti Art Gallery resonated well with events on the other side of the world.
Asparagus rolls and crackers at Mad Hatter's tea party in New Zealand
Wool crackers at Mad Hatter's tea party in New Zealand
Crackers at Mad Hatter's tea party in New Zealand
Wool sandwiches at Mad Hatter tea party in New Zealand
Kiwiana biscuit in shape of Kiwi
Kiwiana biscuit in shape of New Zealand
Wool food at mad hatters tea party in New Zealand
Wool food at mad hatters tea party in New Zealand
Burnt toast being held up with the word damn cut into it.
A certain teenager in our house oozed creativity but was a reluctant participant in the kitchen. On some occasions the creative spirit rescued food disasters...a few years on a she was the top illustrator when she graduated from Massey University in Wellington. What is the lesson? Let children play with their food.
Portrait of James Gilberd from Photospace holding an expresso.
In Wellington, away from the looky looky crowds, Photospace is one of the places I go for good coffee. James, who has some old Italian built machine (he bought two from trade me - one for spare parts) prides himself on the quality of his brew. If you are a regular visitor to the gallery you probably will have sampled James' offering - if not, take a walk up the marble staircase, contribute koha, look at the art...you might be offered one too.