Gastronomy and design come together in TAPAS: Spanish Design for Food
Expect to see a perfect marriage between gastronomy and design as the Metropolitan Museum of Manila and AC/E – Acción Cultural Española (Spanish Cultural Action) present Tapas: Spanish Design for Food.
A PERFECT BLEND. Explore the possibilities of food design at Tapas.
Tapas, while generally known as a variety of snacks and appetizers, is a piece of bread or meat placed on top of a wine glass to keep out dust and insects. Tapas has since evolved to become any kind of food served in small portions. “There is no recipe for tapas,” as Juli Capella, curator of TAPAS: Spanish Design for Food, explained.
The exhibit itself emphasizes the connection between gastronomy and design. “These disciplines are well-connected in Spain. You see, you can eat an apple from a tree, without (relying) on design; however, that would be boring. If you want to prepare and cook food, you turn to design so you can better enjoy the food”, said Capella.
GREETINGS. This extremely blown-up version of tapas reminds visitors of the inspiration behind the exhibit.
The exhibit showcases over 300 objects, each with its own story. Yes, some of them are either in production or are sold in stores, but as Capella tells us, “these items are not here for commercial purposes. They were chosen for their ingenuity and high quality of design.”
KITCHEN, TABLE, MEAL. Juli Capella, curator of the exhibit, explains each section.
Each object in the exhibit is placed into one of three categories: the Kitchen, the Table, and the Meal.
FUNCTIONAL YET ARTISTIC.
Top: Otto wine rack (Designed by Ramírez i Carrillo, Produced by Delica) / Bottom: Steam Roaster (Designed by Com Peix a l’Aigua, Produced by Lékué)
The Kitchen shows everything that has to do with preparation and cooking: from cutlery to cooking utensils, you can find innovation in the different items you will see.
LIMITS OF DESIGN.
Left: Coporrón glass (Designed by Martín Azúa and Gerard Moliné)
Top right: Football table(Designed by José Andrés in his Washington DC Jaleo restaurant)
Bottom right: Panpaati (chairs and furniture made from bread, Designed by Amalgama Studio by Enoc Armengol)
The Table showcases designs used to enjoy the food once it’s served. This is where you will see designers stretch the limits of function and aesthetics, all in the name of good food.
PRACTICAL ART. elBulli seed plate (Designed by Ferran Adrià / elBulli, Photo: Francesc Guillamet)
The Meal highlights advances made in food design. Ingredients and techniques all come together in this section. Both traditional and modern designs are showcased: from the way the Spanish stuffed anchovies into olives, to the humble Chupa-Chups, all the way to the future of food design.
THE TEAM. Representatives from AC/E – Acción Cultural Española, Embassy of Spain in the Philippines, Instituto Cervantes de Manila, and the Metropolitan Museum of Manila.
TAPAS showcases how far the Spanish have taken food design. It’s an exhibition unlike any other. It’s not art for art’s sake: it’s innovation taken to new heights. You’ll get more of a new-age vibe once you’ve finished going through the gallery itself.
TAPAS: Spanish Design for Food will run from today, April 1, until June 16. Admission to the Metropolitan Museum of Manila is at P100, which gives you access not just to TAPAS, but to the rest of the exhibitions housed in the museum. The exhibition is presented by the Metropolitan Museum of Manila and AC/E – Acción Cultural Española, in collaboration with the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines and the Instituto Cervantes de Manila.
Photos of items from the exhibit courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila
Details:
TAPAS: Spanish Design for Food
April 1 – June 16, 2016
Tall Galleries, Metropolitan Museum of Manila
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex, Roxas Blvd., Manila
Contact information: Phone 02-708-7828 | Email info@metmuseum.ph
