"Arts & Foods. Rituals since 1851"

"Arts & Foods. Rituals since 1851": The first pavilion of Expo Milano 2015 opens at the Milan Triennale...

April 9 to November 1, 2015

A journey through history, nostalgia and art: Arts & Foods. Rituals since 1851 brings us expressions of art that have interpreted the theme of food, eating and dining together, all things that unite us human beings.

With an area dedicated to art in the heart of the city which creates an extended experience of the Universal Exposition: "Arts & Foods. Rituals since 1851" is the first Expo Milano 2015 pavilion to open to the public. This major exhibition, curated by Germano Celant, takes place from April 9 to November 1 at the Milan Triennale and examines the relationship between the arts and the various rituals surrounding food from 1851 to today. The exhibition features design by Italo Rota with graphical design provided by Irma Boom.

Present during the press conference held on April 8 were Giuseppe Sala, CEO of Expo 2015 S.p.A. and Commissioner for Expo Milano 2015, Claudio De Albertis, President of the Triennale, Dario Franceschini, Minister of Heritage and Cultural Activities and Tourism, Filippo Del Corno, Councilor for Culture of the Municipality of Milan, Arturo Dell’Acqua Bellavitis, President of the Design Museum Foundation, Silvana Annicchiarico, Director of the Triennale Design Museum, Germano Celant, curator of the exhibition. The conference was moderated by Roberto Arditti, Director of Institutional Affairs of Expo 2015 S.p.A.

Arts & Foods. Rituals since 1851: a journey through time, via food, art and the senses

The exhibition covers an area of about 7,000 square meters and features a plurality of visual language, models, objects and room-settings, which since 1851 have revolved around the world of food, nutrition, and dining together. Arts & Foods. Rituals since 1851 showcases more than 2,000 works and examines the relationship between art and the many rituals associated with eating, with special reference to how the esthetic and functional aspects of what we eat have impacted creative expression. Inside and outside the Milan Triennale there are also installations and works by contemporary artists created especially for the exhibition.

The exhibition route is both chronological and thematic: covering topics relating to food, its preparation, its distribution and the sharing of it, both in private and in public. On display are over 15 installations dedicated to places where food plays a central role - dining rooms, kitchens, bars, picnic areas - where paintings, furniture, objects, sculptures, household appliances, photographs, menus, books, and album covers create a impactful narrative.

The exhibition has a large sensory dimension thanks to the musical renditions and smelling stations, film and television screenings, quotes and more than 40 displays along the path highlighting important collectable objects and documents. Arts & Foods. Rituals since 1851 offers a journey through time and creatively develops the theme of Expo Milano 2015.

Germano Celant: an artistic jam session, embracing cultural history and nostalgia

Germano Celant, the curator of the exhibition, explains the inspiration for this project: "The idea was to start from 1851, the year of the first Universal Exhibition, which was held in London. The exhibition has been developed thematically around Expo Milano 2015, spanning a period of over 150 years with expressions and rituals that revolve around food and eating. Food has been depicted through music, literature, film, architecture, design, and photography. There are all the elements with which I describe this as an artistic 'jam session', creating an eclectic ensemble of images, materials, objects. You enter this exhibition and witness people’s lives, allowing visitors to step back in time,you can view the knives that our Grandmothers or Mothers once used, there's the kitchen that perhaps you remember having as a child. It also makes a leap back through the history of art, starting from the middle of the nineteenth century up until the present day.

Arts & Foods. Rituals since 1851: the part off-limits to adults

One of the strengths of the show is the route dedicated exclusively to children and teenagers who can experience a section that is "off-limits to adults." This is a section designed for maximum safety of the visitors and has as its theme, the relationship between the arts and food through toys, animation, comics, costumes and art designed specifically for children as well as a series of 93 works by Andy Warhol that are sure to be appreciated by younger visitors. "I thought of a small cultural Expo avatar, that can be appreciated by everyone, from grandparents to children”, explains Germano Celant. “There are areas that are “forbidden” to adults where only children can enter, but there are also areas where children may be kind enough to invite elder companions and let them see, for example, the 93 works by Andy Warhol".

Where, when, how much

The exhibition is open daily from 10:00 to 23:00 at the Milan Triennale. Admission is included in the ticket price of Expo Milano 2015 and also with the Triennale entrance ticket. The ticket price of Expo Milano 2015 also includes an entrance to the exhibition. The 2-day tickets for entrance to the Expo and the Expo season pass permit only a single entrance to the exhibition.

Source :  http://www.expo2015.org/en/