Art history in the pub - the Monarch, Camden

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24 November, 7.30p.m.
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Speaker: Janine Catalano, ‘Distasteful: Subversive Food in Surrealist Art'.

The edible has a long tradition in art; from religious symbolism to market scenes and the still life, depictions of food and dining have been around for centuries. However, in the 1930s and 1940s, surrealist artists began to subvert these familiar images in decidedly unappetising ways, turning the comforting and satisfying properties of food on its head. In this talk, we will look at a few key examples from surrealists such as Meret Oppenheim, Leonora Carrington, Rene Magritte and Salvador Dali to explore the challenges to contemporary society posed by their culinary subversions.

Janine Catalano is an independent scholar whose work focuses on the intersection of food and art, particularly in the early 20th century. She has published on the subject and been featured in conversations at Tate and on BBC Radio 4. In addition to having taught courses at the V&A and the Courtauld Institute of Art, she designs tours of culinary and artistic London. Janine also curates culinary events and banquets grounded in artistic and historical research, ranging from Persian banquets to a Samuel Pepys Feast to the art of Salvador Dali.

Part of AAH Art history in the pub

The Monarch
40-42 Chalk Farm Road
Camden
London NW1 8BG

Telephone: 020 7482205

Nearest underground stations: Chalk Farm and Camden Town

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