King + Manoucher Yektai

I try to see as much art in person as I can— every week. And eat dinner out as much as I can afford to.

I thought I’d pair the two together. And make it a regular thing to post here. But without the ubiquitous food pictures. Seeing these kinds of photographs remind me of the big vinyl banners food trucks and bodegas put up— life-size cheeseburgers and chicken skewers.

Which made me think of what I saw on my feed throughout July— a presentation of say rice and langoustine. Table side in, maybe, Spain? Why do we need to witness this display? We know what food looks like. Back to the art though.

Karma opened it’s new Chelsea location with an exhibition for Manoucher Yektai. September 12 - November 9.

An Iranian-born American painter. He moved to New York in 1945. The year WWII ended. An inflection point in world history. A new wave of art was taking shape.

I immediately liked the work in the show. But was even more drawn to it knowing the time period it’d been made. Late 1950s - early 1970s.

I thought about being alive during this time. New ideas in art— all crash landing in America. Jackson Pollock, Helen Frankenthaler, Robert Frank, Sol LeWitt. Beatles, Stones, Bowie, Aretha, Lou Reed, Miles Davis.

Back to Yektai. He left Iran where he’d studied painting. Met Jackson Pollock in The Hamptons. Soon found his own style. Abstraction— with remnants of representation. Sculptural impasto.

Yetkai’s Landscape of Italy, 1959 (Oil on canvas. 75x68in ) jumps out at you when you walk into the large new space on West 26th. As the opening started to wind down, I thought about King. Made my way downtown. West Soho.

It’s menu changes frequently. Eclectic, Italian, inventive. At the same time— concise and precise. The decor, presentation, glassware, layout, food, wine list, open kitchen, atmosphere— all very thoughtful.

I’ve eaten there a handful of times. Every meal was great. Never have I celebrated anything at King— but it’s felt celebratory. Especially in the back dining room. A place you might go with an artist after their opening. Or rent out for an engagement party.

I like when a restaurant serves marinated olives. You can bring them out right when I sit down. But maybe it’s the Winter leaf salad with pink endive and blood orange? It’s cold and crisp. Refreshing start to a dinner. The hand-cut tagliarini with slow-cooked tomato sauce kinda reminded me of Yektai’s brush strokes.

I think another clear source of happiness came from the Seville orange and pink grapefruit sorbet.

The little things that standout when dining at King— it’s comforting round leather banquet. It’s large North facing windows.

I imagined some of the smaller Yektai paintings living in King’s back dining room.

I think the tonality of the decor is what drew me to the restaurant post exhibition. The browns of the furniture and bar. It’s use of foliage. The attention to detail and subtlety.

Chefs Clare de Boer and Jess Shadbolt make it seem effortless. Most of the time, what makes us feel great is unquantifiable. Can’t put a finger on it. Or put into words. A song, photograph, painting, angle of a car or piece of furniture. Or in this case an airy, neighborhood, white tablecloth, dashing corner spot in West Soho.

Felt more London than New York. Happy that Yektai’s show brought me back to it. Because it’s got what I’m always looking for in a restaurant. Go see the exhibition. It’s up til November 9th. Have dinner at King afterwards. The atmosphere will be relaxed. The steak marbled. The wine chilled just enough. You’ll leave feeling like this painting made me feel. Like a long Fall late afternoon Sunday walk— on an empty upstate road.

By the way— there’s a book (Thanks to Sabrina @ Karma) that compliments the show. Order it here.