Themed bites, boozy bevs and loads of art

It’s time to celebrate The Art of Food: From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation! Hit the tastiest party in town — Thursday’s 21-and-up Opening Celebrations — for clever appetizers, fun drinks, live music, an excited community and 100+ works from some of the world’s best-known contemporary artists.

A person stands in a corner looking at hanging artworks. To their right is a print of a cow's head in pink, repeated, on a yellow background. In front of the person are six framed pieces. We can see grocery store bags in four of them.

Installation view of The Art of Food

“The Art of Food presents a unique opportunity for audiences in our region to experience a group exhibition featuring some of the most consequential artists of the postwar and contemporary era,” says Oklahoma Contemporary Director Jeremiah Matthew Davis. “From Jasper Johns and hometown hero Ed Ruscha to Jenny Holzer and Lorna Simpson, works by 36 artists on the themes of foodways, agriculture and community combine to create a visual feast at once delicious and profound.”

The Art of Food’s launch party kicks off at 6 p.m. this Thursday, Feb. 9. Café Contemporary will provide exhibition-themed bites, like petite wedding cakes inspired by Claes Oldenburg’s Wedding Souvenir (1966), bite-size cheeseburgers, finger sandwiches, sweet and savory chocolate spoons, lobster crostini, miniature tiramisus, potato au gratin and more. And of course, boozy beverages will be available, too.

A ceramic slice of white cake sits on a white plinth with a glass case around it. We can see a large piece behind the cake with pink cow heads printed over and over on a yellow background.

Claes Oldenburg's Wedding Souvenir (1966)

David Sultan’s printed lemons will greet partygoers upon entry to the Main Gallery, and from there, Warhol, Lichtenstein, Hirst, Liu, Hockney, Jensen, Katz, Rauschenberg and more take you on a flavorful journey through the Eleanor Kirkpatrick Main Gallery.

The delectable views and chews will be accompanied by groovy tunes, courtesy DJ KORA WAVES. Call that a five-course meal!

While a selfie with a Warhol cow or striking a pose with Antemann’s porcelain pieces may prove Insta-worthy content, visitors are also invited to experience this exhibition through one of its powerful themes: community. With ample opportunities to riff off the artwork on display, attendees are encouraged to dive into their relationship with food, from accessorizing with their outfits (did someone say corn earrings?!) to the themed snacks they’ll eat.

A watercolor painting of four buildings sits on a table. We can see containers of green, purple and orange ink in containers. A black paintbrush sits on the watercolor.

“With the rise of smartphones and social media platforms, images of food are more pervasive than ever before,” writes curator Olivia Miller, who organized the show for the University of Arizona Museum of Art in partnership with the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation, in The Art of Food catalogue. “It is precisely because of this prevalence that it is worthy to pause the scrolling and reflect on our relationships with food.”

Want to pair art-making with your viewing? Visitors will also be invited to create their own works in the lobby! Armed with Art Garden-sourced flowers (like boiled Hopi Red Dye Amaranth), produce (think juiced blueberries, spinach, carrots and more) and a paintbrush, attendees can paint their own Warhol-inspired watercolor on a staff-drawn print of our building.

The Art of Food Learning Gallery

The making extends to the second floor, where guests are urged to explore the Learning Gallery. This interactive space encourages viewers to participate in conversations surrounding Oklahoma’s food sources, meals, access, artists and more. Partiers can also design a custom grocery store bag or add a missing recipe to the state meal.

Buy your tickets for Thursday’s for Opening Celebrations today — Oklahoma Contemporary members get in free.

Images:

Installation view of The Art of Food: From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation, including Chris Antemann's Fruit Pyramid (2015), Katherine Ace's Crop Circle (2008) and Sherri Wolf's First Harvest (2016).

Installation view of The Art of Food, including works by Richard Estes, Roy Lichtenstein, Analia Saban and Andy Warhol.

Detail view of Claes Oldenburg's Wedding Souvenir (1966) in The Art of Food.

Opening night watercolors with juiced produce.

The Art of Food Learning Gallery.

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