Perfect For Tiny Climbers

On October 21st Like The Spice held our monthly dinner! This time the theme was Asian Landscapes, featuring wonderful food and only slightly more wonderful art.



Our first speaker was bonsai expert Martin Haber (on the far left, slightly hidden by a bonsai). Unscheduled, but still just as important, was his wife, Ruth Haber (owner of the hand beside Martin). The pair spoke about bonsai with the sort of hilarious interaction you only find in two people with a deep love for both their subject and each other. Those tiny trees are in good hands.



Next was curator Eric LoPresti. Eric spoke on the role of curation and his decisions in making our current show, The Variegated Landscape, as well as his passion for landscapes themselves. It was a valuable insight into the "behind the scenes" of art.



Following Eric was Mary Mattingly, whose work "Advanced Forestry" is a arresting sculpture made from a variety of media, including sound, that represents the way nature and technology are coming to blows, specifically around the wild honeybee. As more bees vanish from the landscape each month, theories fly as to what is causing them to die. Mary forces us to confront one of the most popular, that it is our cell phone towers causing the damage to one of the most important parts of our food chain. It is a sobering issue and well worth the attention.



Finally Melissa Dubbin showed us a presentation about her art, from laser etching techniques to the use of video. She included a preview of her upcoming "Songs For Psychos" which left the whole dinner amused and excited.



We thank Zen Palate for catering the fantastic meal. It was a great night for every one of our guests, ranging from gallery owners to artists to bonsai fans, and we look forward to next month. You should join us then! Keep an eye on our home page for upcoming details.