A performance to immerse and play with your senses. Discover 31 Belgian designers in an experience.
For this event Caro designed a spectacle that sets between fiction and reality. Where the visitors becomes part of the scene. This symbolizes for me the Belgian surrealism. “From the 1920’s to the 1960’s and beyond, it explored the mysterious dream world of the unconscious mind. Inspired by the new field of psychoanalysis, artist like René Magritte painted illogical scenes with unnerving precision, surrealist pictures depict a familiar yet alien world of dreamlike serenity and nightmarisch fantasy, .. ” – Mary Ann Caws on Surrealism.
To design this I manipulated the time, the place and the action so that a different experience for of the context occurs. The purpose of this experience is to communicate a feeling, to cherish and to create long lasting relationships. I tried to design an experience with all senses, an experience you will not soon forget. An experience to slow down, to tell a story and to cultivate an ideal environment to view Belgian Design.
The story goes as followed; guest arrived, a drink of sag infused pineapple juice was presented to lift the energy.
Ŵhen guest all arrived they were guided to the performance. Once entered the guests viewed a single spot on a girl with a big necklace and a big book. She was sitting in a dark room with the lighted skyline of Hong Kong behind her. Telling a story of the silk thread that came out of Wally’s belly, the caterpillar. Who travelled from west to east over seas and mountains, following his thread to were it all began: Hong Kong.
Two more lights go on, showing traditional Belgian fingerfood integrated in a still life. A still life with duck eggs, wood and cinnamon referring to Foiegras with gingerbread. In total three still life’s integrated with Belgian design & traditional Belgian food are shown. (pressed porks head with asparagus & mustard, blood sausage with red cabbage and apple )
Guests are guided to the second part of the performance; a big dinner table of 6m which is curved at the end. Guests are seated 1.20m from the table, referring to a theatre setting. A shadow wakes up behind the curtain, a girl sipping from a cup slowlymoves while a shadow of a city is casted. Lights on the table turn on, a girl on the table between stacks of china is waking up. She is arranging the china, suddenly she takes out small lights and turns the stacks into a city with streets, promenades, sidewalks and lights. The lights turn off and show this magical city. A dancer appears and starts to break down the city into a l’art de la table, spreading and arranging the table in a systematic way. Guests are guided to the table where a napkin bonne bavette is strapped on and soup is served. After main course and desserts guests are invited to bring there lucky candle (on the table) and light it into the space next door. Here three still life’s with coffee, tea & sweets are shown referring to the beginning.
