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Zwelethu & Louis event likely the year's best

Last night’s opening of the Zwelethu & Louis collaboration at iArt in Loop Street was a perfect event and likely the best I’ve attended this year for the way it achieved its objectives.
The winning combination included startling good art, Dagmar Schumachers’ A-list, eventing and service by Loudfire with Arundal Thom overseeing, wine by Southern Right and cuisine by Annalize Buchanan. Food not only looked elegant but tasted delicious too.
Here’s what we had: Fresh oysters...served in spoons with a verjuice and red spring onion dressing; Smoked salmon with lime and caviar; Brie, basil and grape or strawberry crostini; Fillet of beef with a rocket salsa; Parma ham, basil and blueberries, Tempura prawns served with a sweet chilli and coriander dipping sauce; Asian chicken spring rolls served with a yoghurt chutney; Tom yum chicken topped with a mango salsa; Slow roasted lamb baskets topped with a mint crème fraiche and Caramelized onion and bacon tarts.
Buchanan manages to pack layers of flavour into tiny mouthfuls in a way that each canapé becomes a mini-meal rather than the usual belly bluffers one is served at events.

I’m told that sales have exceeded R4 million. The work is beautiful to look at, it is perfectly crafted but also emotionally challenging as Janse Van Vuuren paints a Parisian backdrop to Mthethwa’s township photograph while, in another, barbed wires transform into ivy.

I don’t know enough about art to pronounce this show as world class but, based on what I saw in Europe recently, this work stands proud. At around R150, 000 a pop for the larger pieces, I imagine much of the work will be bought for institutional collections. An insider told me that it is possible to purchase a Picasso litho in Europe for the same price so the fact this work is being taken up so enthusiastically augers well for the state of SA art.

Although the invitation was for 7pm, many arrived early. I’m not sure why. Perhaps the elderly had to get to bed early or people were super keen to see the work. I recall an event at another artist’s home attended by David Bowie. By the time those with invitations arrived, Bowie was gone. Perhaps the early birds new something I didn’t.

[29-Nov-07]
Brian Berkman

Dear Brian,

Thank you so much. You are very kind.

Cheers,

Dagmar

[04-Dec-07]
Dagmar Schumacher

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