Artist Palate: Vik Muniz Romeo & Juliet

1950s jacaranda table, £1,250, from Silvia Nayla. ‘Saturne’ vodka glass, £103, by Ercuis, from Harlequin. ‘Cosmopolitan Mesh Gold’ plate, £98, by Meissen, from Harrods. Shotgun toothpicks, £100 each, from William & Son. ‘Romeo’ fabric, £64 per m, by Nya Nordiska

(Image credit: Gustav Almestål)

By Melina Keays

last updated 3 September 2022

in Features

Vik Muniz’s trademark style is to make art out of non-art materials. Over the years this has included food, so we were intrigued to see what edible masterpiece the Brazilian artist would send us. He says, ‘Although the unlikely combination of cheese and goiabada (guava paste) may sound like an eccentric gastronomic experiment, Romeu e Julieta, as Brazilians call it, is one of the most popular working-class dishes in the country. As a child, I always thought that Shakespeare’s characters were, in fact, inspired by this dubious communion between briny cheese and sweet goiabada. Just remember that Juliet is the goiabada and Romeo is the cheese.’

Ingredients
fresh white cheese, such as minas
guava paste (goiabada)

Method
In Brazil, goiabada is usually eaten with fresh minas cheese. However, if you can’t source one or both, you could substitute quince cheese for the guava paste and ricotta salata for the cheese. Cut into squares to serve.

INFORMATION

Photography: Gustav Almestål. Interiors: Maria Sobrino. Food: Marie-Ange Lapierre

Melina Keays is the entertaining director of Wallpaper*. She has been part of the brand since the magazine’s launch in 1996, and is responsible for entertaining content across the print and digital platforms, and for Wallpaper’s creative agency Bespoke. A native Londoner, Melina takes inspiration from the whole spectrum of art and design – including film, literature, and fashion. Her work for the brand involves curating content, writing, and creative direction – conceiving luxury interior landscapes with a focus on food, drinks, and entertaining in all its forms