the
local palette
Chefs dream up dishes inspired by a new Ackland exhibit By J e ss ic a St r i n g er Ph o to g rap hy by J o h n M ich ae l S imp so n
ckland Art Museum visitors can view
nearly 70 works of Asian art at the exhibit “Buddha and Shiva, Lotus and Dragon: Masterworks from the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection at Asia Society,” which runs Oct. 8 through Jan. 9 and is co-organized by the American Federation of Arts and Asia Society Museum. We asked three chefs to create a dish inspired by a piece from the exhibit, and Ackland Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs Peter Nisbet shared his insights on all three works as well.
This spectacular bottle is a fine example of how seemingly modest functional objects will hold their own in a major exhibition that also includes several dozen masterpieces of Buddhist and Hindu sculpture. Though not large, this piece will be a commanding presence in the Ackland galleries. The bold peony patterns were made by covering the robust form of this vessel with two layers of clay wash, first white and then black. The artist then shaved away black areas to reveal the white underneath. Surely the original owner, some nine centuries ago in northern China, derived as much pleasure from its visual beauty as from the wine it probably stored.” – Peter Nisbet Made in North China Bottle, Northern Song period, 12th century Stoneware with graffito design in slip under glaze (Cizhou ware, probably from Xiuwu or Cizhou) Asia Society, New York: Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection, 1979.141 Photography by Synthescape Courtesy of Asia Society and American Federation of Arts
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chapelhillmagazine.com September/October 2021