Love,

Rafael

Red Cabbage Braised in Red Wine

1 head of red cabbage, about 1 1/2 pounds
salt
2 TBsp olive oil
2 large celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 medium sized red or yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 TBsp finely chopped parsley
1 bay leaf
pinch of dried thyme
10 juniper berries
freshly ground pepper
1 large tart apple, grated
1 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup golden raisins
strong red wine vinegar

Blanching the cabbage keeps it sweet-tasting, so begin by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. While it is heating, cut the cabbage into quarters, remove the cores, and cut the cabbage into narrow shreds. When the water comes to a boil, add salt to taste and the cabbage. Boil for 2 minutes, then pour the cabbage into a colander and set it aside to drain.

Warm the oil in a wide pan and add the celery, carrot, onion, garlic, parsley, bay leaf, thyme and juniper berries. Season with salt and plenty of pepper cook over medium heat for 3 or 4 minutes. Add the cabbage and the apple. Stir everything to combine. If the pan is crowded, use a pair of tongs to pick everything up and turn it over.

Pour in the wine and water, cover the pan, and cook over medium heat. Check after 20 minutes or so, add the raisins and turn the vegetables over. Continue cooking uncovered, until the liquids are reduced to a syrup, about 25 minutes or more. Taste for salt, add enough red wine vinegar to give it a lively edge, and serve.

Why yes, that is incorrect. While my work is informed by popular culture I have not displayed art work an any group shows that address hip hop culture. Nor is the blog influenced by over-representation of black artists in shows about hip hop. I do not even hold that view.

The blog is influenced by the curatorial scope of Bi-Lingual and I was invited to draft a statement that summarized my critique. While my views are informed by my experiences, they are also based on my professional experiences as a visual artist and university professor.

Interested readers are encouraged to visit my website: http://www.ayanah.com

Firstly, you should know that Ayanah speaks from her own past personal experiences and observations as an artist and not in reaction to the Bi-Lingual exhibition at Spaces, as she has yet to see it and won’t have that opportunity until October 10th, when she comes in from Pittsburgh for the panel discussion. Until then she’ll have to rely on digital images of exhibition and your commentary, so please do join in the blog.

Secondly, I’d like to note that in contrast to the show at Spaces, her experiences, (and Ayanah correct me if my assumptions are wrong) has been with race-themed (black-themed) shows that end up with an overwhelming and inappropriate number of artists who’s work draws from or addresses the Hip Hop culture. The very broad, rich and diverse diaspora of the ‘African of the Americas’ is much more than just Hip Hop so to present a show representative of African American artists and then focus on just Hip Hop primarily does do them a dis-service and is lazy and irresponsible curating. If the curator wants to focus on Hip Hop, the show should so state that intent and then indeed it should include White artists, Latino artists, Arabs and Asians along with Blacks for Hip Hop has indeed gone global, cross-cultural and cross-racial.

While I’ve been similarly disappointed with many ‘color’ shows I’ve been in or seen in past (thus prompting me to try something different with Bi-Lingual), I, however, obviously still feel that culturally themed shows are important. They are important specifically to the artists whose work deals with or springs from cultural issues as a lens gets focused upon the topics that motivates them their art making the most. It’s also important to the respective communities that come out to see that work. They come out to support their ‘own’ as well as to find parts of themselves within the work.

I have been to the openings of several race-based shows at Spaces and the percentage of faces of color in attendance does greatly increases. So what of that audience for ethnic themed shows? Of the ones who come in search of self and of those who come searching for a bit insight into a different world alien to their own? To those who say that color shows are flawed, or that ‘color-themed’ shows are no longer necessary – Are we to leave that audience to the mercy of media representations of ethic groups or is it possible to sensitively and intelligently contextualize art exhibitions that deal with race, culture and identity so that that audience can experience an artist’s insightful representation instead of that of the media? Race, culture and identity are topics as equally deserving of focus as any other themed art exhibition out there. Why can’t we have meaningfully curated and relevant cultural shows? I think that it is not only possible, it is necessary and with Bi-Lingual I’ve aimed to do just that but it’s just a start.

So, audience, it’s your time to weigh in!

What do you make of any or all of these issues? What have been your experiences and insights?

I look forward to the airing of your thoughts and opinions.