Dinner for Two
Debuted in its first iteration in 2012, Dinner for Two is a large-scale installation of a hyperbolically long dining table set for a formal supper. Seated at either end of the table are two diners, represented by vertical tablet screens that seemingly hover above their respective chairs. The scene is set for a romantic dinner date. However, rather than the chatter of conversation, the installation’s audio plays only the notification sounds of two smartphones. The diners spend most of their time gazing downward. Dinner for Two speaks to both the alienation of smartphones and the new form of connection fostered by the internet. Internet culture is no longer a novel historical phenomenon; rather, the ubiquitous nature of its modes of transmission constitute the foundations of new creative thought.
Since its debut in 2012, Hovnanian has reimagined the work for several site-specific installations. From Southampton, New York to Lucca, Italy, the work has taken on new life from its many environments.
Click here to watch viewers respond to the installation in Lucca.
