("Beginnings" by Edwin Slater, mixed media)
"The purpose of art is not a rarified, intellectual distillate -----it's life, intensified, brilliant life."
Alain Arias-Misson
Delicartessen.co.uk was born on a full moon 2nd of May 2007. I took a brand-new agreement to display art in the Edinburgh Central Youth Hostel (the first 4 starred Hostel in Scotland) as a starting point to open up a door to emerging artists with something new to bring to the Edinburgh art scene, take art out of its normal context and organise encounters around the arts.
The name came about as I had previously realised while working at another gallery how doing catering for the private preview really contributed to the amazing atmosphere. Food is shared among friends and family... in confidence, in celebrations. The name was, therefore, initially associated to our intention of providing “state of the art” food at our previews, which for practical reasons hasn’t been the norm, although we still like to do the odd Spanish tortilla whenever circumstances allow.
Good cuisine is an art, and Delicartessen relates to good taste too. Not to mention the hunger of our artists to break into the big world. Now our main exhibiting venue, Joseph Pearce’s bar, also serves beatiful food. So the name still applies.
Since that magical evening, when we celebrated our first private preview at the Conference Room of the Hostel; we have increasingly embraced a concept of art as a tool for encouraging interaction and inspiring dialogue. Beyond its purpose as an object of desire, art encourages reflection on social and human matters: culture, difference and commonality, spirituality; uniqueness and universality, sense and sensibility. It surrounds us and becomes an integral part of daily life, offering a link to something bigger than ourselves and, at the same time, taking us back to our human nature.
These pages are a visual and textual story of Delicartessen's first steps. They explore with words what the on-line gallery http://www.delicartessen.co.uk explores through visuals: a passion for art as an opportunity for self-awareness, reflection, growth and, ultimately, elevation. They intend to take you into a journey filled with exhibitions, discoveries, inspirations, insights, coincidences...all fuelled by the visual imagination we have encountered by chance.
I hope that they inspire you. More over, I hope that in accordance to our motto, “let art be the meeting point”, you feel welcome to contribute and find your own space in them too.
Welcome & Enjoy!
Vanessa Davila
