For a VR installation in Miami, Italian artist Mattia Casalegno teamed up with Michelin-starred chef Chintan Pandya. The installation, a mixed reality meal, allowed 16 guests at a time to immersive themselves in the virtual experience created by Casalegno while also eating real food served by Pandya. The installation called Aerobanquets RMX was part of the Miami Art week and supported by art center Superblue and Meta Open Arts.
During the installation called Aerobanquets RMX, guests were seated at a table and asked to put on their VR headsets and pick up their external hand-tracker. These headsets are Meta Quest 2 VR glasses, which is no wonder since the installation is supported by (amongst others) Meta Open Arts. While being fully immersed in a virtual world created by the artist Mattia Casalegno, the guests were served culinary dishes by Chintan Pandya, turning into a mixed reality meal.
Mixed reality meal
The installation was inspired by F.T. Marinetti’s The Futurist Cookbook, a collection written in 1932 of fictional recipes from the future. Just as the cookbook does, Casalegno wanted to bring food and art to a next level. Guests could choose from two menus: regular and vegan. As they ate, the textures and flavors of each dish were rendered in VR. The experience also featured text brought to life by narration from Top Chef judge Gail Simmons. It also features an original soundtrack by Martux_M, who recently performed at the Sonar festival in Barcelona and the Venice Biennale.
“We currently live in a world where industrial farming, overfishing, chemical pollution, and soil degradation are jeopardizing the livelihoods of millions by depleting the environment,” said Casalegno on his website. “We live in a culture where speed and economics come before health and quality. With this work I want to put a spotlight on our endangering practices and at the same time relish the joy of eating.”
Miami Art Week
Aerobanquets RMX was presented by Superblue and Meta Open Arts as a special activation during Miami Art Week, from November 28 to December 4, 2022. It is produced by Flavor Five Studio.
