At Impact Collections Launch,
Michelin-Starre Chef Turns Dinner into Experiential Art
The area around Hovot Halevavot, the location of Impact Collections’ first event, is a bit deceiving. This quiet street in the Shapira neighborhood of Tel Aviv does not look like the setting for an arts and culture event with a 4-course meal by one of Israel’s top chefs. Yet, the minute you step through the door, the quiet street outside is left behind and the vibrant atmosphere of food, wine, art, culture, and excellent company become the center of attention.
The first event definitely sets the bar high for this unique series of events that aim to promote young Israeli art. The space is beautiful, carefully designed to host social and cultural events; large paintings, made by our host – artist Sivan Dayan – are hanging on the walls; and in the center of the space, a large, fully set table is placed, decorated with flowers and candles. Jazz is playing softly as the participants walk around and introduce themselves to one another.
There is no doubt – this evening will be one of a kind.
Photographer Credit: Albert Lalamaiev
After one hour of champagne and small talk, a sharp sound suddenly interrupts the pleasant evening. Assaf Granit, our chef for the evening whose restaurant in Paris, Shabour, was just awarded its first Michelin star, smashes three ceramic plates on the floor. For a moment, it felt like this was part of the artistic program of the evening, a full-on performance art.
The broken pieces were the “plates” on which the entrée was served. Granit mentioned that this was a tribute to the story of Hovot Halevavot (in Hebrew: “the obligations of the hearts”), a place Sivan Dayan opened as part of her desire to heal her broken heart. The “complete” plates were shattered, just like her heart, only to create something that is imperfect yet more complete in its new form. The broken plates were also a small nod to Shabour (in Hebrew: broken), where this dish is served daily.
It was the perfect combination of old and new, broken and pristine. The old walls of the space, once owned by Dayan’s grandfather, are mixed with the venue’s up-to-date décor. The broken ceramics showcase the impeccable Michelin-starred food.
Photographer Credit: Albert Lalamaiev
Following this performance, we are invited to sit.
Shirel Shimonov, the founder of Impact Collections, takes center stage and introduces her initiative. She started with a round of names and encourages each participant to mention their favorite color. It’s this kind of small gesture that exemplifies her desire to create a community of art lovers that know each other personally and intimately. She then tells her guests how years abroad made her appreciate art and its potential social impact and how the lack of engagement with visual art and design in Israel motivated her to start this project.
Through cultural events that present some of the best creatives in the country, she wishes to introduce young people to the art world and support promising emerging artists in Israel.
Photographer Credit: Albert Lalamaiev
At this moment, a beautiful, thought-provoking photograph by Dudi Dayan is projected on the main screen. Dayan, a successful Israeli photographer, was selected by Shimonov as the first artist to be introduced to Impact Collections members. His unconventional combinations of high fashion and streetwear, as well as local and international subjects and locations. His photographs were the inspiration for Granit’s dishes.
The first image displayed young Haredi Jews in and around a BMW car, almost positioned and dressed as if they were participating in a fashion editorial. The setting seems unnatural – this is not what we think about when we imagine Haredi Jews. This combination of recognizable features – the Kippah, for instance – presented in an unusual location, inspired Granit to serve a dish that is embedded in everyday Israeli experiences that are very well known to Israelis, yet might seem odd or out of place for outsiders.
The second photograph featured two androgynous young individuals with colorful hair. Dudi Dayan mentioned that he randomly came across them in New York, and decided to create a fashion photoshoot. This combination reminded Granit of the idea of “high & low”, well known in the fashion world, where a high fashion piece is mixed with everyday wear, creating a combination that is unique and memorable.
Dudy Dayan, "Holy Young"
Granit's dish followed the same logic, and included a traditional peasant dish with some "high" touches, like truffles. The third and final photograph featured a person in the process of gender confirmation. It was bold and unexpected. Granit thought this display was courageous, just like his decision to cook Israeli food in its full force abroad. He chose one of the most groundbreaking (and courageous) artists of the 20th century and prepared a Jackson Pollock inspired main course. Splashes of color – different sauces and vegetable creams – flew across the kitchen and landed on canvases, next to a fish filet.
The process, orchestrated by Granit and his cooks, seemed almost like a dance. In his choice of dessert, Granit paid another tribute to our location, Hovot Halevavot, and served a smashed heart-shaped dessert, again, perfect in its imperfection.
It was time for the night to end. Several glasses of wine, excellent food, inspiring art and good company made the until-now-strangers into close friends. It was as if people didn't want to go home. The atmosphere of this gathering, the thought behind every detail, and the worthy cause all made this night one to remember.
Dudy Dayan, "Waiting For My Man"