Christian Louboutin and artist Malú dalla Piccola hosted an elaborate dinner at Frieze New York, transforming the event into a night reminiscent of Surrealist dinner parties. Guests gathered at the United Palace in Washington Heights, greeted with Ruinart’s Blanc de Blancs Champagne in the theater's ornate lobby.
Signature Red Entry
Attendees received signature red-hued tickets, setting the tone for the evening. As the theater doors opened, guests ascended to the stage, finding their places at a candlelit table. Dancer Madi Tanguay performed a ballet in scarlet pointe shoes, a nod to Leonor Fini, Louboutin's muse.
Performance Art and Culinary Delight
The night featured a four-act performance piece, Table Talk, created by dalla Piccola and collaborator Ekaterina Scherbakova. “I always dreamed of doing a performance while pregnant, and this was the perfect occasion,” dalla Piccola, seven months pregnant, shared. Inspired by the film The Red Shoes, the piece explored themes of surveillance, maternity, and the uncanny. Scherbakova noted, “This is a performance about desire and power that are interconnected.”
The culinary experience was equally theatrical. Guests marveled at oeuf à la coque au caviar, and scallop crudo served on ice blocks. Chef Thu Pham Buser crafted a pork, chicken, and duck mousse pâté en croûte, requiring three days of preparation.
Art World Conversations
Between courses, attendees discussed the art world’s latest, including the Venice Biennale and the Met’s Renaissance exhibition on Raphael. Robert Denning, a Met Trustee, likened the dinner to Judy Chicago’s The Dinner Party at the Brooklyn Museum.
Final Act and Reflection
The event concluded with Tanguay's final solo, transitioning from pointe shoes to Louboutin's ballet flats. Dalla Piccola reflected, “In New York, what drives inspiration is all the people, because there’s this energy that you cannot find in Paris, where everything is possible.”
The evening was a testament to the fusion of art and fashion, offering a unique experience that highlighted the creative spirit of New York.
Source: https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/christian-louboutin-frieze-new-york-dinner-performance-art
