Performance art has always seemed a bit elusive to me – more than anything else, it probably has to do with my lack of familiarity with the medium rather than the art itself.
So when I found out that the 11th annual Visualeyez Festival, put on by Latitude 53, had adopted a theme of food this year, I was excited. Nothing like a topic that I love to get me interested and more willing to take the leap into the unknown.
Unlike an art gallery, where the pieces are static and accessible, for the most part, during operational hours, and unlike the Fringe theatre festival, where every staged production is performed multiple times, the Visualeyez Festival is not only brief by comparison at six days in length, but also, performances of some works were only scheduled to take place once.
That said, on the day Communications Assistant Alaine Mackenzie invited me to the festival, I was able to get a taste of three very different interpretations of the theme (and still can partake in one piece not bound by time – by downloading an audio tour of the Sobeys Urban Fresh).
Alaine was also really excited about this year’s theme of food, and really thought the banner would help break down the barriers of those daunted by the idea of performance art. The gallery was quiet when I arrived, but by the time the afternoon’s main event was underway, the main space was nearly full.
First, she introduced me to Alison Reiko Loader and Kelly Andres, who described their project titled kinder/garden as a “food laboratory”. Different from most of the other performances, both were on-site tending to the lab every day, and made a point of changing the space daily.
Alison and Kelly are based in Montreal, where they applied for and received space at the Concordia University greenhouse. They used the greenhouse to explore the idea of manipulating life, including Alison’s creepy but fascinating project of force-growing vegetables into moulds that resembled fetuses.
Pickled fetus-moulded tomato and cross-sections
The installation also featured other “live” foods, including yogurt (packed in plastic containers resembling test tubes for patrons to take home), a “doughbie” (a loaf of bread in a baby sling), and bacteria cultures in Petri dishes. Kelly was even serving up wheatgrass martinis (wheatgrass pulp + sparkling mineral water). Alaine and I decided to indulge. More than tasting like grass, it smelled like grass, but it definitely seemed to cleanse on the way down.
Kelly at work making our martinis
Cheers!
Alison and Kelly were more than happy to talk about their project, and this struck me as the most exciting thing about performance art – the dialogue between the patron and the artist. Sure, some galleries host evenings with the artists, and some theatres offer talk backs with the actors, but here, the very point is the exchange itself.
Next, I chatted with Cindy Baker, the Festival Animator. Her role was to attend all of the performances and blog about it, in the hopes of generating buzz and documenting the festival itself. She has done a great job, filing several thoughtful posts a day. She did comment that for a festival about food, however, there wasn’t much food being served.
I also wandered into Chun Hua Catherine Dong’s rice painting set, called Hourglass. Cindy did an exceptional job elaborating on some of the themes of her piece, so much so that I feel like I don’t have anything to add. Except to say that while the task of attempting to fill the bowl with painted grains of rice was futile, I enjoyed the experience. I liked the fact that there were only two chairs (even though many more hands would have resulted in lighter work), and that I was able to connect with another person, even for a brief moment, by sharing in the same task.
Two patrons taking on the task
Though Food Wars was delayed a couple hours due to the sheer number of dishes the two artists were putting together, I have to say, the food was worth the wait. The performance was billed as an Iron Chef-esque showdown: “Armed with only amateur cooking skills and each family’s secret recipes, Mexican artist Manolo Lugo and Guatemalan born artist Naufús Ramirez-Figueroa cook up a storm to prove which nation has the best cuisine!” The intention was for patrons to sample food from both countries, and vote for their favourite.
Latitude 53 Executive Director Todd Janes introduces the artists
Manolo and Naufús both did an exceptional job setting up their display tables, Manolo with a colourful fruit garnish and Naufús with an intense fondant-covered cake shaped like a Mayan pyramid (it was handy that a chef from Junction next door was in attendance, as she ended up helping Naufús with the fondant).
Dressing the Mayan cake
Naufús’s Guatemalan spread
From reading the description of the show, I did expect more exposition before the food free-for-all – someone in the audience had to prompt the artists for explanations of the dishes. Between the two, I thought Manolo did a better job, which was probably the main reason my vote went to him (because really, the food from both sides was equally good). An idea I was hoping they would explore further was substitutions in spite of their quest for “authenticity” – though some of the ingredients needed for their dishes were available to them here, Manolo expressed that he had to use similar but not the exact ingredients as specified in traditional recipes.
Manolo’s Mexican spread
Standout dishes for me included the Guatemalan stewed bananas in spicy chocolate mole, the Guatemalan cake (it was supposed to taste like Guatemalan egg nog, but I just thought it was delicious), Mexican stuffed poblanos with pecan sauce (the pomegranate seeds on top are such an inspired idea) and the Mexicn pibil chicken topped with pickled purple onions (you can check out the full menu here).
Mexican plate
Guatemalan plate (as you can tell, I reused the plate)
I think everyone was in a delirious food coma by the time I left, before the winner was declared (for the record, it was Mexico, though apparently some ballot box stuffing went down). And though a part of me still wanted more of a “performance” from Food Wars, between the food and the conversation, did it really matter?
Thanks again to Alaine for the invitation – I’m not sure I would have made it down to the festival without a push, and now that I’ve been to Visualeyez, I will likely return in the future.
Only Here for the Food 
I didn’t even know about the festival, so it is a good thing she invited you – and maybe next year – you will add it to your food notes early so sillies like me are more aware. I have a major in fine art (few are aware of) and do continue to take courses at the University to keep honing my skills, though I have yet to indulge myself in the time I would really like to just “do art” for long stretches of time, lately. I was surprised that there was so much edible food with the focus on food… unless that was just another component of the festival – and they have food at it every year, anyway. That was unclear to me. If the focus is on food at an art exhibition, there is so much that can be done besides cooking and eating … as you did show us with the gals and initial displays. I am thinking about a piece I did a few years ago the first time Vanja’s father took us to their summer home after the war in Bosna. It was the first time Vanja was back and saw it and the destruction of it. It was a very emotional visit… and then, Vanja’s father disappeared. Where was he amongst the wreckage and tall grasses and weeds? Then, I saw his head bobbing amongst the tall grasses as he found his way back toward us with his hand outstretched and the biggest smile spread across his face. I looked down, and in his hand were three plums. I immediately took a picture of it. They had cultivated this summer property through the years prior to the war. There were grape vines and walnut trees and apple trees and so many other edible trees and gardens. Today, everything was gone: destroyed. Yet, Petar found his plum tree had survived and it brought him such joy. I did a piece with his hand holding the plums and called it “…and he gave us all he had.”
It was also symbolic because the plum is the regional fruit and what the Balkans make their plum brandy from.
Anyway, food is a product of one’s culture so definitely an artistic focus, does hold memories and offer so much “food for thought” and consistently brings people together. Everytime I am at the market I want to stop and draw and paint, but I know I could never do it justice.
🙂
Valerie
Valerie – thank you for sharing the story about Vanja’s father. You are right, food does bring people together, and can create (and bring back) so many memories.
I’m sorry I wasn’t clear about the festival – Visualeyez has a different theme every year (last year, for instance, it was water). It seemed some exhibits only marginally dealt with food, though I know you probably would have been interested in the performance having to do with salt.
And though I did make a mention of the festival once in my food notes, I probably could have done a better job of it. Next year!
If you do decide to paint market scenes, I’d love to take a look at your work :).
Sharon,
What a great event…thanks for posting about this. Art with a food theme? What a wonderful combination! I’ll definitely keep my eyes peeled for Visualeyez 2011 and I hope that more people will too now that you’ve given us this information. I think Manolo and Naufús should go into busines together and open up a Guata-Mexican restaurant!