This year marks the fourth anniversary of "DAC - Danish Art & Culture Week," an event organized by flower artist Nicolai Bergmann and his wife Amanda Bergmann. The event aims to allow visitors to experience Danish food culture, art, and lifestyle. We attended the reception party ahead of DAC, which will be held at the Nicolai Bergmann Flowers & Design Flagship Store in Minami-Aoyama from July 23rd to 26th. The first thing that struck me upon entering the venue was the eccentric design of the food. While I expected to see a display of Nicolai's flowers, I was greeted by chef Mads Magnusson's ingenious dishes. At first glance, the flowers appear to be arranged on stones and leaves, but in fact, they are decorated with sea urchin and tuna. Without closer inspection, it's hard to tell which is which. This unique perspective is the result of a chef who honed his skills at Noma, a Nordic restaurant ranked number one in the World's 50 Best Restaurants list.
Magnusson, who visited Tsukiji for the first time, said he was deeply inspired by the abundance of ingredients before him. The dishes that result from this experience are characterized by the fact that you can't imagine what they'll taste like until you taste them. Is it sweet or spicy, hard or soft? You can't imagine anything. This is why all five senses are fully engaged before you even put the food in your mouth. While with a normal meal, you can generally imagine the taste of the food in front of you, but this doesn't work at DAC. This sense of enjoying food with your entire body, as if exploring flavors at a deep level of instinct, is very fascinating.
Nuts were also displayed discreetly among the flowers. In fact, these are products of Summerbird Organic, an organic chocolate from Denmark. Over time, chocolate has become made with large amounts of sugar, spices, and food additives, and Magnusson has focused on using natural ingredients. I was surprised by the delicate yet robust texture of the ingredients upon first bite. While many organic chocolates have unique textures, Summer Bird's deliciousness is exceptional. It's a treat that will impress even the most discerning chocolate connoisseur.
The gallery on the second floor will be hosting the first-ever exhibition in Japan by Danish artist Peter Martensen until July 26th. His work is housed in some of Europe's leading museum collections, including the National Gallery of Denmark in Copenhagen and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. His unique, "surreal" worldview is as original and compelling as Magnusson's cuisine, evoking a mysterious floating sensation in the viewer. Admission is free, so be sure to immerse yourself in its charm during the event.
At the end of the reception party, the four DAC members gave speeches. Nikolai said, "I'm so happy that the artists we invite become more and more impressive with each event!" "They came all the way from Denmark and seemed to really like Japan. They'll probably be living in Japan by next year," he said playfully. Nikolai is always full of service spirit, and today was no exception. Magnusson's beloved daughter also attended the party, peeking out from between Nikolai's works and adding a touch of elegance to the venue.
