High and dry: Martini exhibition brings drink to life

London – Vodka brand Belvedere has opened a sensory experience to celebrate the iconic martini cocktail.

The Legends of the Martini exhibition at The Royal Academy, which runs until the end of August, is highlighting commissioned works of art alongside an interactive journey through the evolution of the martini. Visitors ‘meet’ glamorous figures associated with the drink, including Ernest Hemingway, Frank Sinatra, Kate Moss and Elizabeth Taylor.

The exhibition’s curator Tory Turk said: ‘From the roaring 20s, past the swinging 60s, and from the 90s to the present day, it will highlight characters who have been known to enjoy a martini in their time.’

As well as celebrating the famous figures, the exhibition features a selection of still life images by photographer Jess Bonham and set designer Gemma Tickle, that epitomise the notorious drink, such as a graphically lit cigarette and Art Deco design features. 

For another example of how food and drink is evocatively represented through imagery, see our Seed on the exploration of synaesthesia.