Artistic Supper

I ran across a listing of an art installation at the Park Avenue Armory that caught my eye.  Leonardo’s Last Supper: A Vision by Peter Greenaway.  It was deemed a multimedia event or showing of this work….I was naturally intrigued.  The masterpiece is in itself a draw, but a modern “view” of it is nothing short of compelling.  And since I had never seen anything at the Armory before, I decided to go.

December 31, 2010.  I had the day off from work.  And thought how would I like to spend my last day of this (crazy, tumultous, difficult, painful) year.  I chose inspiration.  Art inspires me – creativity leaves me in awe.  It warms me.

Since I find it hard to describe the approximately 45 minute event, I’ve lifted the Armory’s descrip:

“Visionary artist and filmmaker Peter Greenaway brings new insight into one of the world’s most celebrated masterpieces in his multimedia reverie of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. Set within a full-scale replica of the dome of Refectory of Santa Maria Delle Grazie in Milan, the home of the original painting, a meticulously detailed facsimile of The Last Supper is brought to life through Greenaway’s ingenious manipulation of light, sound, and theatrical illusion. Visitors navigate a series of vivid audio-visual environments that provoke new ways of seeing this iconic work.

Leonardo’s Last Supper is part of Greenaway’s ongoing series Ten Classic Paintings Revisited in which the artist creates a dialogue “between 8,000 years of art and 112 years of cinema.” The Armory’s presentation marks the first time that one of Greenaway’s critically acclaimed artistic installations is mounted in the United States.”

Cool or what?!

I’m no theological historian or master of fine art, so I figured whatever I get out of it, I get.  It was experiencing art without the quiet white-walled museum, where visitors stroll by, hand to chin, wondering what the heck it all means.  It was Disney meets Da Vinci….a swirling mass of sound and light…pulling focus and attention.  A showing for the modern masses.

I left delighted.  Because I made the choice to take a moment – and feed my creative belly.