Oven & Tap

A man in glasses and a black shirt is speaking to a group of people in a restaurant or cafe. There are large portraits of women on the dark brick wall behind him, and the table is set with plates, glasses, and napkins.
Two framed photographs hanging on a black brick wall. The left photo shows a brick wall with a sign that says 'SAVE,' underneath a boarded-up door. The right photo shows a bridge over a river, surrounded by greenery.

Cultural direction: a rotating exhibition program, produced end to end. Bentonville, Arkansas, 2020 – 2023. Architecture: Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects.

Oven & Tap is a wood-fired restaurant a block off the Bentonville square, in a stripped industrial building with bare block walls and exposed trusses. The owners wanted to be part of the art scene that drives the town’s tourism and cultural life, not just serve it dinner. So we built them a rotating exhibition program and ran it for them: three shows over several years, curated and produced end to end.

The first was Feel Like Going Home the photographs of Matt White. Then Katherine Strause, Arkansas Girl, with a featured installation by Jan Waldon. Then Ray Parker. Each one was a real exhibition, not decoration with a price list: an opening party, artist conversations in the dining room, and special experiences for cultural tourists we brought through the door. We produced all of the media and content, handled the sales inquiries, and ran the logistics so the restaurant never had to think about any of it. They just had a room that kept changing, and people who kept coming back to see what had changed.

This was one of our favorite things we’ve done. A restaurant is where most people meet art without planning to, and that makes it more important, not less. Art in a room like that has to stand up to a raw wall, an open flame, and a full Friday night. It did.

A person stands outdoors holding a framed picture of an old brick building with a metal roof and boarded-up windows, wearing a black leather jacket, black pants, black sneakers, and a grey cap.
A woman standing outside a white building with large windows, holding a colorful painting of a girl playing guitar. The building has a sign that reads 'O & T Brunch Lunch & Dinner' and there is blue sky above.
Interior view of a restaurant with a wooden table set with napkins and glasses, a potted plant, and a framed portrait of an elderly man on a white brick wall, with large windows showing outdoor seating and buildings.
A photograph of a house covered in lush greenery and ivy, set against a background of trees and a clear sky, with the title 'Feel Like Going Home' and photography credit to Matt White.
Photo of a marching band in blue and yellow uniforms playing drums, standing outdoors in front of a brick building.
Painted artwork of a young girl in a patriotic theme, holding an American flag and a sign that reads 'PROTEST IS TRICKY PATRIOTIC', with green foliage in the background.
Painting of a young girl with pigtails, wearing a red coat and yellow skirt, singing and playing guitar outdoors with greenery and flowers around.
A wall display of framed photographs and artwork arranged in a grid pattern inside a black frame. The wall is painted light-colored, possibly white or cream, with a brick background surrounding the display.
A colorful painting of two children kneeling on the grass, facing away, with a dog lying on the ground nearby. The scene is painted in an impressionist style with thick brushstrokes.
An impressionist painting of a young girl in a white dress with dark hair standing by a stool, holding an umbrella, surrounded by vibrant swirling colors in the background.
Large portrait painting of a woman with platinum blonde hair, blue eyes, and tattoos on her shoulder, hung on a dark wall in a restaurant with wooden tables and metal chairs.
Large portrait painting of a woman with platinum blonde hair, blue eyes, and tattoos on her shoulder, hung on a dark wall in a restaurant with wooden tables and metal chairs.
Colorful poster of a woman with short hair and tattoos on her arm, holding her hand to her face, on a black brick wall in a restaurant or cafe.
Interior of a modern restaurant or cafe with a long wooden table set with clear glasses and a plate of rolled white napkins. A colorful painting of a blonde woman on a red background hangs on a dark brick wall, with a window to the left allowing natural light to enter.
A large, colorful portrait of a woman with blonde hair and red lipstick is hanging on a brick wall in an industrial-style room with a concrete floor and natural light coming through the window.