21–23 August 2025
Azay-le-Rideau, Huismes & Beyond
Guests were invited to join the founding director of General Assembly Melanie Ashton, and independent curator and founder of Freudian Bites, Huma Kabakcı, for an intimate and thoughtfully curated three-day VIP experience in the heart of the Loire Valley. For the first time beyond the acclaimed London supper club series, Freudian Bites brought its unique format of food, art, and conversation into the open landscape of rural France for General Assembly’s second Summer residency.
The programme was centred around the artist couple Max Ernst and Dorothea Tanning, including a visit to their former home at the Pin farm in Huismes, near Chinon.
This special programme coincided with the General Assembly Summer Residency, where seven emerging artists were invited to slow down and tune into their creative flow amidst wild meadows, grape vines, and ancient trees. As part of this immersive experience, guests were offered exclusive access to artists-in-residence, curated visits to cultural landmarks including nature walks, and a sensorial dining journey inspired by the region’s legacy of artistic experimentation.
Day 1
We began our journey at Le Pin Perdu, the former home of Max Ernst and Dorothea Tanning in Huismes. A walking tour through the house and surrounding landscape set the tone, immersing us in the surrealist couple’s world.
As evening fell, collaborative chef and culinary artist Miyako Ueno offered a creative, surrealist-inspired apéro, paired beautifully with local wines from Ampelidae wines. Guests shared bites, conversations, and reflections with the talented General Assembly residency artists Ranny Macdonald, Laura Grinberga, Hélène Pavlopoulou and Kathryn Armitage.
Day 2
We began the day with a surrealist-themed picnic in the gardens of Château de l’Islette, where symbols of spirals, shells, and oysters evoked the dreamlike language of Surrealism. The picnic was followed by a sound healing session, which I led to guide guests into a reflective state, setting the tone for an automated dreamscape writing workshop.
In the afternoon, guests enjoyed free time to wander through Azay-le-Rideau and visit some of our partnering venues across the Loire Valley.
The evening brought everyone together at the General Assembly Residency, generously hosted by Melanie Ashton with critiques by curator Huma Kabakci for intimate studio visits with resident artists. The night culminated in an immersive dinner prepared by Miyako Ueno, a menu thoughtfully responding to both the artists’ practices and the four natural elements (wind, earth, fire, and water) transforming food into a form of edible art.
Day 3
Our final day began with a nature collage workshop led by Greek artist Hélène Pavlopoulou inviting guests to weave together found materials and fragments of the Loire landscape into poetic compositions.
This was followed by a playful and reflective blind-tasting leftover brunch, where we explored the theme of rational versus irrational eating through conversation and shared food.
