Jack Ceglic: Plated: A Food Diary 2020-2024

The Drawing Room is pleased to present an exhibition of new works on paper by contemporary American artist Jack Ceglic. Recognized for his extensive exploration of portraiture in oil, crayon and other mediums, Ceglic turned to still life in early 2020, embarking on an immersive series about food, a seminal throughline in the artist’s life and work.

As a child, Ceglic absorbed his earliest lessons in cooking while observing his grandmother in the kitchen. Likewise, helping at his mother’s Brooklyn grocery store and shopping at neighborhood produce stands, butchers and seafood markets instilled rich, formative impressions. His memories about food became enduring touchstones, informing the course of his professional life following his graduation from Parsons School of Design with a degree in painting and illustration.  By the 1960s, Ceglic was exhibiting in New York and Los Angeles, and like other artists of his generation, creating commissioned paintings that were staged in department store windows. In 1977, he joined Joel Dean and Giorgio DeLuca in launching SoHo’s legendary emporium, Dean & Deluca,  pioneering innovations that established the brand’s unique identity and redefined the aesthetics of cuisine. 

The larger-than-life oil stick drawings spotlighted in this exhibition reflect Ceglic’s virtuosity as both a visual and culinary artist.

See below for full press release and selected works.