Master of Ceremonies Gary Baseman addressing his captivated audience. Photo by Kyle Dean Reinford.

Last Thursday night played host to another superbly cultural—and culinary—event at the Jonathan LeVine Gallery in Chelsea. Gary Baseman, the curator of the gallery’s newest exhibit, True Self, hosted a dinner put on by SPREAD ArtCulture in collaboration with New York’s Supper Club and the American Friends of the Louvre. The evening was sponsored by Domaine de Canton and AriZona Vapor Water. The three-course dinner was preceded with a walk through of the gallery by Baseman, who gave a synopsis of the show’s background, as well as a beautifully choreographed glimpse of each artist who is participating in the show.

Baseman told the group, “In this exhibition, I have invited a group of painters, photographers, and sculptors, to look deep inside themselves and create an image that they feel represents their own passion or obsession. They might imagine themselves as anyone or anything—a wolf, a cupcake, a mermaid, even a skyscraper. I am requesting each artist to create an artwork that represents his or her true self. I am not asking for (nor do I want) a self-portrait. Rather, I’m requesting that the participating artists pick an icon, metaphor, or symbol that they feel represents their true essence.”

The Supper Club of New York’s mission is to “bring together interesting and talented likeminded people in unique places for parties that create an enticing environment to whip up business, meet new friends and set taste buds on the prowl.” They were very adept in creating not only an amiable and intellectual ambiance at the LeVine Gallery, but were able to help set the tone for a night of good dialogue, interpersonal connections, and top-notch culinary formulations. Supper Club representative Dara Levine commented, “The night was really a celebration of all things artistic…. From an orchestrated seating plan to the palate of colors that popped off our plates, to the guided talk by Baseman (who later proceeded to sketch impromptu drawings on our menus), it’s this collaboration of our minds and entertaining that brings these dinners to life.”

For more information on the Supper Club, please visit www.thesupperclubinc.com.