Edible Art Installation Debuts For JAW: A Playwright’s Festival

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Jack Rushall, GoLocalPDX Contributor

Some Eat Me desserts. Photo by: eatmedessertspdx.com

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to experience someone’s art –and then eat it? You might finally have the chance.

The Eat Me Machine is an interactive, edible art installation debuting as part of the 2015 JAW: A Playwright’s Festival. How it works: the Eat Me Machine is essentially a vending machine that provides desserts for art wanderers via reusable glass jars. However, dessert is not all the machine can dispense. Visitors can also purchase art from the Eat Me Machine. And yes: you read that right; Portland artists have created a vending machine for art.

Portland Center Stage is hosting the Eat Me Machine debut (as part of JAW) as well as housing it permanently in the lobby of its Gerding Theater at the Armory during the regular theater season starting September 12th. But what does the debut itself entail?

The debut will take place on July 23rd from 6 pm to 8:30 pm at the Portland Center Stage (e.g. at the Gerding Theater at The Armory) with a grand unveiling of the Eat Me Machine expected at 7 pm. Come prepared for lots of free dessert samples as well as live music provided by DJ Mari Navarro. Featured local artists include Mari Navarro and Leda Zawacki.

Remember: if you attend the debut, you will be one of the first people in the world to rest your eyes on the Eat Me Machine, a proposed symbol of the Gerding Theater. And if you want to rent the machine before September 12th, you can also experience the machine in all of its splendor in private.

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