American artist Jackson Pollock
(1912-1956) wasn't only known as a leading figure of the
abstract expressionist movement who painted monumental
masterpieces characterized by a unique dripping technique.
Pollock was also famous for his talent as a chef, the focus
of a show at Rome's Vittoriano museum complex.
'Dinner with Jackson Pollock: Recipes, Art & Nature' opened
Wednesday and runs through June 9 at the museum's Brasini wing.
The exhibit stems from the publication of a book by
photographer Robyn Lea, who portrayed the artist and his wife in
the 1950s as they prepared delicacies for friends, including
Pollock's legendary apple pie.
The show organized by the Zetema foundation and by
Comunicare Organizzando, which manage cultural events, is part
of the 'Rome towards Expo' project.
It features exhibits, conferences and meetings with the
involvement of embassies to enable countries participating in
the Milan Expo 2015 world's fair, which runs from May to
October, to present their unique productive, cultural and
touristic features.
The event at the Vittoriano takes place as an initiative of
the American embassy in Rome showcasing one of the most
celebrated artists of the second half of the 20th century from
an angle that is ideally connected with the food-themed
Universal Exposition.
Expo runs under the banner 'Feeding the Planet, Energy for
Life' focusing on issues connected with food quality and
nutrition.
The show follows the publication by Assouline of a
photography book in which Robyn Lea portrays the domestic life
of the master of 'action painting' and his wife Lee Krasner,
also a painter, at their Springs home in Long Island, New York.
The Pollocks moved to their home, which is today a museum,
in 1945 and loved to have friends over and cook for them.
And the exhibit shows just how much passion went into
Pollock's cooking, which included bread among specialties, as
well as pies.
Indeed Robyn Lea established a connection between recipes,
art and nature after discovering the couple's hand-written
recipes.
Food and sustainability, key issues at the ongoing world's
fair in Milan, were also at the center of Pollock's lifestyle in
Springs, where the artist and his wife grew vegetables to enjoy
fresh food and went fishing.
The couple also looked for fresh ingredients in the woods
near their home, as well as from streams around their property
and the ocean.
Though this choice was also due to the couple's precarious
financial condition, it mostly stemmed from their deep respect
for nature's generosity.
The story of Pollock's everyday life transpires from the 51
photos on show in Rome, which Robyn Lea created by taking shots
of dishes prepared by chefs from the couple's recipes.
The apple pie so beloved by Pollock's family and friends,
in particular, shows the most personal side of the art icon.
The recipe became famous across the Springs community after
Pollock won a prize for his apple pie at the local fisherman's
fair.
Over the years, the pie acquired cult status among friends.
The artist preferred it together with peach-flavored ice
cream while his wife chose to serve it with vanilla ice cream.
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