Art, Storytelling and Valentine’s cookies: a free online event with edible art
Who doesn’t love a good story, and especially one told through the medium of fresh-baked cookies and crackers?
Four Kansas university museums, including Wichita State’s Ulrich Museum, have joined up to host a free virtual storytelling and culinary event featuring artist, author and filmmaker Eames Demetrios at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11. Chef Steve Couch, founder of Mr. Eat Right, will make the cookies and crackers, using customized cookie-cutters in the shape of the language from the fictional world Demetrios’ has created in his stories.
Linda Duke, director of the Beach Museum at Kansas State University, described the event as a fun night of “fantastic global storytelling” with edible art. As a bonus, participants will get recipes for some savory and sweet treats in time for a Valentine’s Day celebration.
Demetrios will tell stories using the characters and places from the fictional alternative universe Kycmaerxthaere (pronounced ky-maer-icks-theer). Some fans abbreviate that to Kyc.
Much like J.R. Tolkien’s fictional Middle Earth was inspired by real locations, Kyc has connections to real-world geography. As an artist and self-described geographer-at-large, Demetrios has created story markers and art installations that tie in with his stories. There are more than 140 storytelling markers in 30 countries, representing global connectedness. According to the website devoted to Kyc (kcymearxtheare.com), the nearest marker to Wichita is at the foot of Rock Mary in Hinton Oklahoma.
The locations are not the only thing grounded in reality. To create the stories of the Kyc universe, Demetrios often weaves in elements of cultural stories and information gathered during his travels throughout the world.
Duke has known Demetrios for more than 20 years, primarily because of his family’s lineage to the design world. Demetrios is the grandson of iconic American designers Charles and Ray Eames and is the principal of Eames Office that oversees the Eames design legacy. Demetrios has given many lectures and talks, including Ted Talks, about the Eames design legacy and Kycmaerxthaere. This past October, the Ulrich hosted a virtual talk by Demetrios.
During the pandemic, Demetrios and Couch have been doing what Duke calls “cookie parties” where Couch uses the customized cutters that depict the Kyc language, which is based on shapes. Duke suggested the Valentine’s Day theme for the Feb. 11 event.
Besides the Beach and Ulrich museums, the University of Kansas’ Spencer Museum and Washburn’s Mulvane Museum are also co-hosting the event.
Registration is required to attend the virtual event. To register, go to ksu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEvfuurpjMjE9S_goRU1efz9DtEXdbJUom2
‘Art, Storytelling and Valentine’s cookies’
What: a virtual linguistic and culinary presentation by Eames Demetrios co-hosted by the Ulrich Museum
When: 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free, registration required. Visit ksu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEvfuurpjMjE9S_goRU1efz9DtEXdbJUom2