Marja Samsom: Shrine

The stylish, witty, and always colorful artist and storyteller Marja Samsom is currently realizing her residency project, Shrine, which combines art and life and food and color and adventure and music and more... Samsom engages performance art, objects d'art, cooking, stories, trust and thoughtfulness both in her Clocktower studio and through her radio program on ARTonAIR.org, Cooking Up A Storm. Her studio is open for viewing to the public and her culminating performance event will take place on October 19 at 6 p.m. with a demonstration of all her talents and the full display of her residency installation. Dumplings will be served.

Samsom’s studio is a site-specific installation reflecting the two divergent personalities Samsom brings to both her culinary creations and performance art: Miss Behave and the Dumpling Diva. As an itinerant prankster, Miss Behave is constantly questioning her surroundings and actions. As an ever pragmatic self-starter, the Dumpling Diva forges ahead regardless of the obstacles confronting her. Encompassing both of these perspectives, Samsom seeks to create a balanced artistic practice that is both whimsical and productive.

Bibi's Dinner

Tune in to this one-of-a-kind radio show in which Artist/Chef Marja Samsom cooks for her adorable little canine friend, Bibi. This is not your typical dog food though, it’s a meal that can be enjoyed by humans and creatures alike, made from nutritious ingredients such as kale, sweet potato, and lamb. Samsom's East Village underground dinners for friends evolved from a private kitchen gathering into a thriving restaurant. From 1990-2010, The Kitchen Club was a pioneer in Nolita, a fashionable neighborhood in NYC. Known for its sumptuous European-Japanese cuisine, The Kitchen Club & Chibi's Bar became an iconic destination for discerning international diners, as well as art and fashion royalty, such as Lou Reed & Laurie Anderson, Macolm McLaren, Zaha Hadid, Bjork, Catherine Denueve, and Inez and Vinoodh. In addition to her culinary projects, Samsom is a performance artist and filmmaker always developing new projects and ideas. Check out Bibi's Dinner on YouTube for a visual of Samsom's cooking fun.