ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Daniel Spoerri's First 'Palindromic Dinner' Performance in Italy at Verona Art Week

exhibition · 2026-05-05

During Verona's contemporary art week, Daniel Spoerri staged his first-ever 'Banchetto' (dinner-performance) in Italy, a palindrome-themed meal at Palazzo dei Mutilati. The event, organized with Galleria Boxart, coincided with Spoerri's solo exhibition 'Riordinare il mondo' curated by Marco Bazzini. The palindrome dinner inverted traditional courses: 'Espresso Macchiato' was spinach cream with sour cream, 'Gelato Variegato alla Stracciatella' became dumplings, and 'Spaghetti Pomodoro e Grana' turned out to be ice cream. Spoerri, born in 1930 in Galati, Romania, is a naturalized Swiss artist known for his Nouveau Réalisme assemblages and 'tableaux-pièges' (snare-pictures). He previously ran the Restaurant Spoerri in Düsseldorf (1968–1972) and created his most famous banquet in 1970 for the Nouveau Réalisme decennial. In the 1990s, he established a sculpture park in Seggiano, Tuscany, which became a foundation in 1997. The Verona dinner had only two predecessors: the last in Hamburg in 2005.

Key facts

  • Daniel Spoerri performed his first 'Banchetto' in Italy during Verona contemporary art week.
  • The palindrome dinner inverted the order of courses, with gelato as a starter and antipasti as dessert.
  • The event was held at Palazzo dei Mutilati in Verona and organized with Galleria Boxart.
  • Spoerri's solo exhibition 'Riordinare il mondo' curated by Marco Bazzini opened concurrently.
  • Spoerri was born in 1930 in Galati, Romania, and is a naturalized Swiss artist.
  • He ran the Restaurant Spoerri in Düsseldorf from 1968 to 1972.
  • His most famous banquet was in 1970 for the 10th anniversary of Nouveau Réalisme.
  • Spoerri established a sculpture park in Seggiano, Tuscany, which became a foundation in 1997.

Entities

Artists

  • Daniel Spoerri
  • Marco Bazzini
  • Arman
  • Arturo Schwarz
  • Marcel Duchamp

Institutions

  • Galleria Boxart
  • Artribune
  • Fondazione Spoerri

Locations

  • Verona
  • Italy
  • Galati
  • Romania
  • Switzerland
  • Seggiano
  • Tuscany
  • Siena
  • Düsseldorf
  • Germany
  • Hamburg
  • Palazzo dei Mutilati
  • Via dei Mutilati, 8, Verona

Sources