Tag Archive for: Museum of Brisbane

Impossible Conversations with Chef Dominique Rizzo

Chef Dominique Rizzo returns from her sell-out Spanish “Unique Catalonia” food, wine and cooking tour for the launch of Impossible Conversations, in Brisbane, an event that is a classic celebration of art, ballet and poetic stories.

Impossible Conversations - Dominique Rizzo in Spain 2018 by Helen Gambley

Image: H Gambley

The Museum of Brisbane partnered with QPAC to create a series of Impossible Conversations with celebrated Italian figures from the past, many of whom are unfamiliar to most of us today.

“Inspired by Vanity Fair’s bitingly satirical 1930s series ‘Impossible Interviews’, nine of Brisbane finest residents shared the conversations that they would like to have with their chosen figure from Italian history.”

The conversation

Dominique Rizzo is honoured to be chosen to share her conversation with Saint Agatha, the saint of Sicily.

Impossible Conversations - St. Agatha painting

Image: Il Regno

Dominique’s conversation starts with a heart-felt note to Saint Agatha:
Impossible Conversations - Dominique Rizzo's note to Saint Agatha

Image: Museum of Brisbane

The art

Sam Cranstoun, the artist commissioned to paint the no-longer-living famous Italians, met and talked to Dominique and listened to what she imagined that she would say to Saint Agatha about her brave but tortured life.  It was this conversation that Sam then interpreted in his own watercolour painting.

“Because the historical figures are unable to take part in the conversations, Sam’s paintings hover in the space between question and answer. He offers glimpses of the conversations through imagery and text, inviting us to weave our own narratives.”

Impossible Conversations - Saint Agatha by Sam Cranstoun

Image: Museum of Brisbane

 

When and where can you catch up with Sam Cranstoun’s painting of Saint Agatha and the other eight historical Italian figures?

The stunning results can be viewed at the Museum of Brisbane exhibition Sam Cranstoun: Impossible Conversations, from 10 Oct 2018 – 31 Mar 2019,  and in the QPAC tunnel from November 2018.

The ballet – the pièce de résistance of this cultural event

The Italian theme of the Impossible Conversations celebrates the spectacular first-time visit of  Italy’s iconic Teatro alla Scala ballet company to Australia, to Brisbane only, performing Rudolph Nureyev’s grand Don Quixote and the ever-beautiful Giselle at QPAC.  What masterpieces are to be enjoyed by the lovers of ballet and theatre.

Impossible Conversations - La Scala Ballet Don Quixote

Image: teatroallascala Instagram

If contemplating these cultural events is making you think of food, why not cook Italian style with Dominique Rizzo’s recipe for Sicilian Arancini? These are show-stoppers in the arancini world.

The art of food at “Tastes Like Sunshine” with Chef Dominique Rizzo

Are you in Rome or Brisbane? That’s what you will be wondering as you listen to Chef Dominique Rizzo in her featured presentation,  transporting her audience to Italy with her detailed description of her perfect Italian meal in the “Tastes Like Sunshine” art exhibition at the Museum of Brisbane. 

For a fresh take on the art of food, the “Tastes Like Sunshine” exhibition offers a truly different perspective in its presentation not only of a fabulous selection of  works by acclaimed artists Eliabeth Willing, Sean Rafferty and Carol McGregor, but also a delightful audio recording of Brisbane’s Top Chefs talking about their most favorite meal.

Tastes Like Sunshine - Entry art piece

Museum of Brisbane Art Gallery

Tastes Like Sunshine - Chef Dominique Rizzo Perfect Italian Meal

Chef Dominique’s Perfect Italian Meal

 

 

 

 

Dominique’s passion for Italian food and the influence of her Sicilian grandmother resonates in her dulcet tones in announcing the Italian names of the delicious dishes and describing each one in sensuous detail.

It is truly a taste of Italy that tastes like sunshine.

 

Close your eyes, savour the sounds and imagine the flavours and colours in her “Perfect Italian Meal”, watch on YouTube “Chef Dominique Rizzo at Museum of Brisbane – Art and Food”

 

Artwork and audio of the five top Brisbane chefs are by the talented acclaimed artist Elizabeth Willing.

Tastes Like Sunshine - Brisbane's top chefs

Brisbane’s Top Tastes like Sunshine Chefs

Tastes Like Sunshine - Art by Elizabeth Willing

Art by Elizabeth Willing