Feastivus for the Rest of Us

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is at it again, creating an installation that boggles the mind, A Pagan Feast. Michele Iodice, a set designer and much more from Italy, has created a Pagan feast in the Dutch Room replete with dinner settings, food, tablecloth, and centerpieces. The artist took into account the lavish holiday parties that Mrs. Gardner was known for, using her passion for making each occasion a real experience, he assembled a veritable masterpiece of culinary history and art history.

Iodice used Ancient Rome as his inspiration. More to the point, the ISGM explains, "This is playing with history—in this case, the history of Ancient Rome. Objects have been selected and displaced from their domestic setting, new invented objects have been added as well. And in their juxtapositions to one another, they are sure to surprise and be remembered by the guests of the museum."

Bostonist has yet to leave the office to get over to see the installation, but from the pictures it looks .... interesting, but not really our cup of tea. It is more likely that we will make our way over to see the beautiful Sargent's on display than to wander around the dinner table installation.

A Pagan Feast by Michele Iodice, Artist-in-Residence, will be on display until January 8, 2006.

Image Courtesy of Boston.com.