La Figa by Tiberio Simone and Matt Freedman
LA FIGA: Visions of Food and Form
When Tiberio Simone, with his lilting Italian accent and eyes that burn right through you, said, “Alyssa, I want to cover your skin with strawberries, like 1,000 little kisses,” there was no way I could say “no.” Then he said, “Matt will take pictures.”
At the time, it wasn’t clear why we were doing this. But I spent hours, naked on Tiberio’s kitchen table as he arranged strawberries, and little dollops of balsamic vinegar all over my body, despite the fact that I am extremely ticklish and have the kind of ADHD that reduces teachers to tears. As Matt methodically captured things that only he could see, it became increasingly clear that something incredible was happening. Though we still didn’t know what.
Obviously, Matt and Tiberio are beloved friends of mine. And as we, much later, looked at the photos they had taken of me, Tiberio became visibly hungry for more. This little lark was turning into the manifestation of Tibero’s soul, and we could all see it.
La Figa, the first strawberry.
Tiberio is pure passion. He oozes the natural eroticism of a soul unencumbered by fear and convention. A James Beard Award-winning chef, Tiberio has long been recognized for his ability to turn you “on” with the tiniest morsel of perfectly prepared food. He is also a well-known character in Seattle. Catering elaborate dinner parties and creating a team of “Super Huggers” in Seattle’s Fremont Solstice parade, Tibero is, really, pure passion. People in Seattle know him. And love him.
We looked at the photos, and I could see Matt and Tiberio realizing that this was a much larger project. There needed to be more food, on more bodies, of more shapes and sizes, more colors. This needed to be as bold and intense as Tiberio himself. It was a joy to watch them spend the next couple years taking pictures. But that was nothing compared to seeing the finished product. Their book, La Figa: Visions of Food and Form is every bit as magical as my one afternoon covered in strawberries was.
La Figa
Nearly 200 pages of photographs, recipes and stories. Although Matt’s photography is impecable, it is the sharing of Tiberio’s soul that touches the reader. Stories about growing up in Italy, cooking with his grandmother and mother, living on the streets in Rome. He shares his favorite recipes and memories of each ingredient. (Stealing cucumbers with friends from a local farm as a child and pretending they were the huge penises of the men they would some day be!)
He also teaches you the secrets of working with fresh ingredients – how to prepare, store and use fresh food for the best result.
At the end of the day, however, the photos are why this book should be on every coffee table. There is nothing “porny” or even corny about them. The way that Matt mirrors the shape of a mushroom against the perfect curve in the small of a woman’s back is just breathtaking. Especially since you can see her minute hairs and the fuzz on the mushroom.
La Figa
I may have a small bias, having been part of this project from inception. But it doesn’t change the fact that this book is stunning, a delicious feast for your erotic soul. And it is a lovely way to explore the many flavors of human flesh that make bodies the beautiful and delicious things that they are.
Everyone who has thumbed through this on my coffee table has been moved and impressed. And, I think, found a little more beauty in their own body. I think that was Tiberio’s ultimate goal. A great lover, after all, makes you feel loved and lovable. Tiberio does that with his food. Matt and Tiberio did that with La figa.
Bon Appetit, my friends!
You can see more photos from the book in our Erotic Art Gallery. You can – and should – buy the book at Amazon.com.
You can also check out more of Matt’s photography, and, of course, have Tiberio cook for you.
