Vancouver’s PiDGiN restaurant announces Tara Lee Bennett as latest artist-in-residence
Inspired by the paper artist’s works, the chef at the Michelin-recommended Gastown eatery creates a monochromatic dessert
Tara Lee Bennett, Lush V, 2022. Photo via Tara Lee Bennett
PIDGIN RESTAURANT HAS always embraced art, not just on the plate but on its walls, inside and out. Now that things have returned to a semblance of normalcy related to the pandemic, the Gastown dining spot—recommended by Michelin in its inaugural Vancouver guide—has announced its newest artist in residence.
Tara Lee Bennett creates intricate, exquisite worlds out of paper. Originally from Zimbabwe, Bennett spent many years in Australia, where she attended the Enmore Design Center. In Vancouver, she established her paper-art and sculpting practice in the 1000 Parker Street building in 2019.
Tara Lee Bennett. Photo by Britney Kwasney
Now on display at PiDGiN is Bennett’s Lush series. Exploring themes of growth and renewal to reflect her personal and professional journeys, the artworks feature real and imagined botanicals. “These contemporary paper cuts layer detail and shadow and use a monochromatic palette,” Bennett says in an artist statement. “By removing the colour, the work is asking you to imagine what isn’t there and concentrate on the minutiae.”
The monochrome aesthetic highlights the delicacy of Bennett’s painstakingly precise and delicate cuts. Hidden within the artwork is a leaf with Bennett’s initials, TLB, marked on it. With an eye to the longevity of her works, Bennett uses fine-art cotton-rag acid-free paper that has been produced in Holland for more than four centuries, along with an acid-free adhesive that was formulated specifically for preservation materials to avoid it becoming brittle with age.
PiDGiN.
Inspired by Bennett’s creations, PiDGiN chef Wesley Young has created a beautiful monochromatic dessert. The dish centres on lychee and coconut, a base of airy coconut mousse topped with juicy berries and a silky yuzu curd. It’s finished with crackly textures from lychee meringue and dehydrated lychee. “Taking Tara’s lead on layers of light materials, Chef Young’s dessert contains a variety of vertical layers that complement each other in a playful and symphonic way,” PiDGiN notes in a release. “White monochromatic textures are framed by the straight vertical edges of the bowl.”
PiDGiN owner-operator Brandon Grossutti explains that the restaurant’s art program is central to its overall philosophy.
“We look at art and artists in Vancouver through the same lens as we do food and restaurants: artists working tirelessly to hone their skill and send their craft out into the world hoping to have it resonate with people,” Grossutti tells Stir. “That vulnerability and risk is especially difficult in a place like Vancouver, where the cost of living affects artists’ spaces and restaurants alike. Our goal is to try to highlight great artists that are on the cusp of great things, and hopefully with our small push of exposure can push them over the edge into more success and appreciation.”
PiDGiN’s residency launched in 2015 with a collaboration with illustrator and artist Ola Volo. Other artists that the restaurant has hosted over the years include Sean Karemaker, Priscilla Yu, Jay Senetchko, Katie So, Johnny Taylor, and, most recently, Kari Kristensen.
The PiDGiN tradition is for each resident artist to select the next one. The most recent passing of the torch proved to be a touching transition from pre-pandemic to the present: Kristensen and Bennett are not only studio mates but are also married.
Sometimes, chef Young creates a dish inspired by the art or artists, or it might work the other way around. Ola Vola, for instance, created a piece based on PiDGiN’s octopus dish, and the culinary team adjusted its plating to match. “Generally, Wesley will pick a theme in his conversations with the artist, which might be literal, or sometimes he will dive into their heritage and tradition for dishes with a PiDGiN twist,” Grossutti says.
PiDGiN is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Upon opening, it quickly became known for its quirkily innovative approach to dishes prepared with classical techniques. (Try the signature culture-mashing Korean rice cake with a vegan gochujang Bolognese.) Designed by Craig Stanghetta of Ste. Marie, the restaurant also stands out for it extensive selection of sake and Japanese whisky, alongside wine and cocktail programs that compete with some of the country’s best. It offers a tasting menu with wine, sake, and cocktail pairings; as well as a la carte and happy hour menus.
The restaurant supports artwork outside, too. In 2017, it unveiled Ilya Viryachev’s mural in the alley of 350 Carrall Street. Meant to symbolize the history of Vancouver, the large-scale work concentrates primarily on its surroundings between 1855 and 1955, revealing, as the team puts it, “how Vancouver’s current model of tolerance and multiculturalism was forged through histories of violence, racism and inequality”.
PiDGiN.
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