The National Ornamental Metal Museum is pleased to present “Meat Meet Metal,” the 3rd Art Cooker exhibition, June 29 – November 2, 2008. Sponsored by Southern Steel, the exhibition will be inaugurated with a cookout opening reception and features not only the sculptural cookers made by the artists, but also the recipes they have created for the cookout reception.  

Curated by Alison Ouellette-Kirby and Noah Kirby “Meat Meet Metal” brings together artists from across North America who share a passion for food, friends and form.  Whether it’s a hotdog shared around a finely crafted BBQ on wheels or pulled pork smoked inside a Calliope, the artists in the exhibition have gone above and beyond to create a reason for people to come together.

Eric Ryser sends a self contained cook kit "Scuba Steve's Combat Ready Campfire Grill" a portable kit ready for anything.  The shovel feet dig into a site, the ammo boxes open up to reveal everything a good mess kit would have, accept maybe the potatoes that need peeling.

Remy Hanemann brings a "Gumbola," modeled after a cupola style iron furnace.  Remy will make gumbo in his "Gumbola" tap the furnace just as if it where molten iron and serve up steaming hot bowls of his signature gumbo just like he would pour metal into molds.  Remy turns the picnic table into a pouring line.

The team of Mark Jeffrey, Josh Avery, Tom King, John Kuisma, and Lucas Winters bring "The Whistling Pig" down from Toronto.  "The Whistling Pig" is a smoker capable of not only smoking an entire pig but also of making wonderful music at the same time. Inspired by the steam powered calliopes on riverboats, the Toronto folks promise to sing succulent songs for your stomach.

Elizabeth Kronfield and Matt Wicker have created "Bofunk"  a wonderful cooker that’s all smoke stack.  It's not too hard to imagine "Bofunk" tooling around in the late 1800's. 

David Lobdell has created "High Temperature Tanning Booth" ready to give several chickens a crispy brown skin, guaranteed to look as good as they taste.

Michael Rossi has made a "Marvelous Mobile Modular Hot Dog Grill," ready to roll up with Chicago style "char dogs" and all the accoutrements.

Durant Thompson brings us "Antique Picnic" the full package a picnic table and grill on an antique pickup truck.  We all know the feeling of rolling into a park and finding all of the picnic tables and grills already in use. Not a problem if you have "Antique Picnic."

"Curbside Service” by Donna Service, one of the artists from the first Art Cooker Exhibition, will also be exhibited.  Donna’s wit and compassion are greatly missed. “Curbside Service” embodies the spirit of the exhibition and the curators have dedicated the exhibition to her memory.

The exhibition will be held outside on the Metal Museum grounds.  An exhibition cookbook will be available in the giftstore.