Lots to feast your eyes on at this Last Supper

By Aaron Short

The worlds of art, food, music and film often intersect, but rarely converge all at once. When they do, you can be sure it is one heck of a party.

Such is the mission of artist Coralina Meyer, who is bringing the 5th Annual Last Supper festival back to Williamsburg, where 3rd Ward Brooklyn (195 Morgan Avenue) will host this truly multimedia party for the second time on September 26.

This time, Meyer feels the festival may have finally found a home.

“I think we really found a space that already has such a strong relationship with the creative community in general,” said Meyer. “They host bands, artists, art projects, and a film series and they have resources there that allow for an interchange among the media. Also, the fact they’re about grassroots, bottom-up DIY movement is important to us.”

The Last Supper incorporates the works of scores of visual and performance artists, musicians, filmmakers, and chefs around a theme regarding food policy and social justice.

Last year, artists make work representing the global food crisis and this year, Meyer has set the theme to address consumption and the economy of means.

“We wanted to choose a topic that deals with something that relates to everyone that is on everybody’s mind,” said Meyer. “It makes the show more accessible because it deals with contemporary issues.”

This year’s festival will feature cooking demonstrations from Apartment 138 chef Simon Lange, who heads the popular Cobble Hill restaurant, live music from the emerging electro-funk Latin band Navegante and disco beats from Midnight Magic, as well as artwork by Tom Stanford and intricate money collages of torn legal tender bills by Annie Weinmayr.

Meyer is particularly excited to debut an installation she calls a “hand cycle” which references the cycle of consumption by incorporating plants and sewing as well as observing an installation project by artists Eve Biddle and Bowie Zunino called “Edible Ghetto.”

“It’s gingerbread project housing that you can eat and destroy,” said Meyer.

The social activism component of the festival is something that Meyer and other participating artists want to emphasize, and it is something that everyone attending can get involved with. The ticket price for the event is $15, but there is a reduced admission for $10 if guests bring in three canned goods, which will be donated to The Food Bank of New York.

“Hunger (as a theme), is something we keep going back to. Hunger is a direct representation of consumption,” said Meyer. “Bringing your canned goods activates the audience’s participation in this larger issue. Were exploring ways of getting involved.”

Meyer hopes that the artists, musicians, filmmakers and foodies interact and learn more about different fields of creative culture in Brooklyn, which she believes is the ultimate purpose of Last Supper.

“It’s really about looking at the way people speak about their work, the way that they work, how they want to show their work and what’s important to their peers and what’s important to the audience,” said Meyer. “We want to have that level of discussion that you would find in a Chelsea art gallery, as well as a more basic and accessible discussion about art. For filmies and foodies, who don’t normally go to art shows, this is perhaps a way for them to access work.”

Last Supper will take place at 3rd Ward Brooklyn on September 26 from 6 p.m. to midnight. Tickets are $15 or $10 with three canned goods. For more information, call 718-715-4961.