On Thursday 8 September, St Paul’s Cathedral in London held a special dinner to celebrate the unveiling of a new moving-image artwork, and Seasoned was the chosen caterer for the event.
The dinner, which featured a feasting-style menu for 80 guests, was to celebrate the unveiling of a large-scale video installation by artist Bill Viola, of Mary carrying the body of Jesus. The permanent project, entitled Mary, is a companion piece to the American artist’s Martyrs (Earth, Air, Fire, Water), which was unveiled in the south quire aisle of the cathedral in 2014.
Events caterer, Seasoned, created a ‘monastic-chic’ themed feasting menu that included cured meats, artisan breads, oven-baked sea bass with salsa verde crust, rhubarb purée & tarragon aioli, pumpkin & gruyère pithivier with sage and roasted chestnut torte with cape gooseberries.
Viola’s installations are the first moving-image artworks to be installed in a cathedral in Britain on a long-term basis. Both cost a total of £2.5 million to produce and install, which was achieved through contributions from several individuals and trusts; including Viola’s London-based dealer, Blain Southern, who hosted the unveiling event.
Managing Partner of Seasoned, Colin Sayers, commented: “We are so pleased to have had the opportunity to cater for such an event as this unveiling. The theme really gave us a chance to get creative with our menu presentation and design, so we were thrilled to partner with Blain Southern and St Paul’s Cathedral.”
The Mary artwork was inaugurated in the north quire aisle on 8 September to coincide with the Feast of Mary, celebrating her birth.