By A painting that captures the mood and cultural pride of a certain time and place? Certainly, that describes the huge, riveting work called Voice of Peace by Adi Oren highlighted at the Dagon Restaurant at 2454 Broadway.
Painted in the restaurant’s basement, the work, initially composed in Photoshop and then painted in acrylics, features realistic images that all relate to the cultural environment in Haifa, Israel at the time when the partners were entrepreneurs on their way up. Adi explains that in order to ensure that the components of the painting were meaningful, she consulted with the partners who had memories of the 70s long before she was born. Israeli pop culture from the 60s-80s resonates for a number of the partners who are Israeli. In a nutshell, they have deep nostalgia for the era characterized by intense patriotism, national pride, heroism, camaraderie and conflict and idealism.
A key to the collaged elements would note the inclusion of iconic Israeli performers of the 70s and a central image of a building called Dagon, a one-time major wheat distribution facility adapted to be a venue for cultural events.
Adi grew up in Manhattan attending PS 6, LaGuardia High School and Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). She worked at Henri Bendel fabricating window displays for several years before meeting her husband. During Covid she, her husband and young daughter and son moved to their home in Ellenville where she painted in a communal studio shared with friends. More recently, she paints in a studio near the family’s apartment on the Upper East Side.
Dagon means sheaf of wheat and the god of crop fertility. What kind of food is served at Dagon? What is the inspiration for the casually stylish decor? Any of the staff will answer, “somewhere in the Mediterranean.” The response is not meant to be vague or confusing. It refers directly to The Voice of Peace radio program broadcast in the 1970s from a boat off the shore of Israel described as “somewhere in the Mediterranean.” The DJ of the show which ran from 1973-1993 was Steve Greenberg,(1) who is now a Dagon restaurant partner.
You will find some special drinks and dishes and decor that celebrate the heritage of the Middle East and the Mediterranean. A Dagon signature drink is drink made with arak and oranges and figs. As described in Wine Enthusiast, “Steeped in history, arak evolved from the Arab invention of alembic distillation in the 12th century. Many centuries after its introduction, arak continues to be the distilled drink of people all over the Middle East and for those who embrace its heritage.”
Asked what she might order for dinner, Adi says she might pick the Israeli Salad, followed by hummus and beef kebabs as an entree.
Other international influences include the Moroccan tiled floors. The wallpaper mimics the patterned textiles of the times. Touches of the color turquoise throughout recall a characteristic palate of the 70s.
Dagon’s partners have a portfolio of 14 restaurants in Manhattan. Each boasts a very different character and menu. Take, for example, Nice Matin, 5 Napkin Burger, and the newly opened Monterey that’s all West Coast. Adi has a collection of commissioned and personal paintings hanging at the restaurants. Her more personal diver paintings can be found at Monterey. She says she’s drawn to the elegance and fluidity of female divers and acrobats whose movement is “the closest thing we have to flying.”
She also has paintings hanging at Cafe D’Alsace on the Upper East Side. She describes the series as “acrobats flying through the air.” Adi had her first solo show titled ‘Dreamers’ in the meatpacking district at Gallery 23, down the street from the Whitney Museum. It ran from October 27-November 15th.
The diver and acrobats, too, represent freedom and strength, says Adi. Although she’s not a swimmer, she is attracted to the elegant power of divers. And she paints them with great pleasure, sometimes dancing and singing to oldies as she does so. She’s currently painting a beach scene mural for Friki Tiki, the restaurant group’s tiki bar on 44th Street and Ninth Avenue.
(1) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_of_Peace
(2) https://www.winemag.com/2020/03/09/arak-middle-eastern-spirit-modern-appeal/