Giorgio Morandi’s cultural and gastronomic legacy shines again in the New York setting. “Aroundmorandi – still life with bread and lemon,” curated by the Wonderingstars association, is the project that brought overseas a new look at the universe of the Bolognese master, interweaving his art with the daily gestures of the home kitchen. A project born in 2012 and already presented in Bologna and Tokyo, which now lands in the Big Apple, enriched by new interpretations and with a charitable purpose: to support Save the Children’s Emergenza Fame campaign.
The centerpiece of this New York edition was the Charity Dinner hosted at Baretto del Fasano Restaurant, an iconic venue recently voted best bar in the world by Wallpaper magazine. An evening sold out in a few hours, with seventy selected guests including collectors, artists, designers and representatives of Italian institutions. Doing the honors, Consul General of Italy in New York Fabrizio Di Michele, flanked by Valeria Lombardo, president of Wonderingstars, who introduced the words of Carlo Zucchini, guarantor of the donation of Morandi’s works to the City of Bologna, at the behest of his sister Maria Teresa Morandi.
Zucchini, keeper of the memory of Casa Morandi and author, together with journalist Simone Sbarbati, of the book Una straordinaria normalità – Cucina e ricette in Casa Morandi (Corraini, 2017), brought those present back to the intimate dimension of the artist’s family: “The whole Morandi family at the table participated in the great character who had his studio just a stone’s throw from the kitchen and transferred his quality of genius wherever he laid his eyes.”
It is from that family cookbook, composed of the notes transcribed by Morandi’s mother and sisters, that the evening’s menu was born. A gastronomic journey recreated by three masters of Italian cuisine-Franco Cimini, chef of the Antica Osteria del Mirasole in San Giovanni in Persiceto, Marta Pulini, founder of Bibendum catering, and chef Stefano De Rosa-with the invaluable support of Fabrizio Facchini (Stellina NY), Ambassador of Taste and AICNY advisor, and Cesare Casella, a historic name in Italian cuisine in New York. The dinner was presented and led by Catia Uliassi, former restaurant manager of the tristellated Ristorante Uliassi in Senigallia, who was responsible for coordinating the room and dinner.
Among the dishes served were Pasta in the cloth bag with capon broth, Tortellini with cream of affioramento, and Standing Milk, in a constant dialogue between domestic simplicity and haute cuisine. Matching wines were selected by Azienda Santa Barbara, Cleto Chiarli and Sartarelli.
The evening, promoted under the patronage of MAECI, the Emilia-Romagna Region and the Municipality of Bologna, was also the inaugural moment of the online charity auction that will remain active until April 5 on CharityStars. The protagonists were glass reinterpretations of one of Morandi’s most iconic subjects: the bottle. More than 30 international designers-including Michele De Lucchi, Giulio Cappellini, Paola Navone, Piero Lissoni, and Vincent Van Duysen-have redesigned the Morandi archetype, resulting in unique artifacts. Their visions were transformed into glass sculptures thanks to the work of master glassmakers who, for months, worked blending traditional craft techniques and contemporary innovations.
Each bottle is the result of a long process of translation from thought to object, a passage of hands and knowledge that became a concrete and supportive narrative. Proceeds from the auction will be donated to Save the Children for the Emergency Hunger campaign, which aims to provide medical care, water and therapeutic food to children affected by malnutrition in areas marked by conflict, climate change and chronic poverty.
Aroundmorandi – still life with bread and lemon is a project of Wonderingstars, made possible thanks to the contribution of NEOS Air, main sponsor, and the support of Alessi, Cristallerie Italiane, Wonderglass, Farina Petra, Minor Hotels, as well as technical partners Santa Barbara, Cleto Chiarli, Consorzio Parmigiano Reggiano, Nardi Mobili in Cartone, Nestlé Waters and Riso Buono.A journey that continues to tell the poetics of the ordinary through different languages-painting, cooking, design-transforming simplicity into an artistic gesture and memory into an occasion for encounter.
The article Aroundmorandi, Giorgio Morandi’s artistic and gastronomic legacy in New York comes from TheNewyorkese.