Beth Lipman, Banketje (2003)

Grand Hall Installation
November 9, 2005 - November 19, 2006
Courtesy of the artist and Heller Gallery, New York

Table for two? Think again! In our Grand Hall there's enough space for a banquet.

Beth Lipman (American, born 1971) recreates Dutch, Italian, and American still life paintings in hand-sculpted glass. The chosen paintings, created from the seventeenth through the twentieth centuries, are selected for their depictions of abundant wealth and extravagant compositions.

In Banketje, the Dutch word for little banquet, a 20-foot-long dinner table becomes the stage for a sumptuous party. Tableware and stemware, linens, candlesticks, serving dishes, utensils, and food are all created in clear glass, and include more than 400 components. The transparency of this grand still life confuses our ability to decipher what is seen through the many layers. Yet the glass still captures the essence of the forms and makes perishable objects appear timeless. The installation is an overflowing display of lavish abundance. Pull up a chair and feast your eyes on this tantalizing installation.

"I recreate Dutch, Italian, and American still life paintings in hand sculpted glass. The chosen paintings, completed in the 17th - 20th centuries, are selected for their depictions of abundant wealth and extravagant compositions. The use of clear glass foils the viewer's eye; it frustrates efforts to claim and own what is seen. Glass captures the painting's polished quality. Its transparency suggests an ideal form. It makes perishable objects timeless.

"The process of making Banketje was as important as the finished work. Fifteen people of varying skills were invited to join me in creating over 400 components found on the table. Banketje is metaphorically the aftermath of each of these guests attending the event."

-- Beth Lipman