As some of you may know, I'm taking a sabbatical this winter, having enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu for a deep dive into the vegetal world. I'll be immersed in this rigorous program through Springtime. I will re-emerge alongside the ramps in April and cannot wait to share what I learn during my time here in Paris.

In the meantime, I will be updating my stories on Insta if you want to catch a glimpse into my culinary adventures.

xx,

D

closing December 22nd

danny sobor “just a window. in” at fortnight institute

closing December 23rd

jenna gribbon “the honeymoon show!” at lévy gorvy dayan

closing January 6th

pipilotti rist “prickling goosebumps & a humming horizon” at hauser & wirth and luhring augustine

closing January 13th at hauser & wirth and February 3rd at luhring augustine

carolee schneemann “of course you can / don’t you dare” at PPOW

closing January 20th

diamond stingily “sand” at greene naftali

closing January 20th

Happy holidays!

XX,

D

As the holiday season approaches, you may find yourself with a couple extra hours on a random, chilly day. I’d recommend using that downtime for a couple museum pop-ins. Below are some of the shows that left a mark on me this season - the works that made me slow down and look more closely, while simultaneously jump up and down with glee.

barkley l. hendricks: portraits at the frick

closing January 7th

Barkley’s paintings have the capacity to stop you in your tracks. “Beginning in the late 1960s, his work drew from and challenged traditions of European art, and The Frick Collection—with its iconic portraits by Rembrandt, Bronzino, Van Dyck, and others—was one of his favorite museums.”

This show is a must-see. Bask in the radical elegance of Barkley’s stunning portraiture and impeccable fashion at the Frick.

ed ruscha’s “now then” at moma

closing January 14th

“If you think you hate conceptual art, see this show. Chances are you hate bad conceptual art. Ruscha made drawings using gunpowder and paintings of maple syrup and beans, but few image-makers have so rarely lapsed into gimmickry, and even fewer have got such consistent laughs.”1

ruth asawa ‘through line' at the whitney museum

closing January 15

Although widely recognized for her wire sculptures, Asawa drew daily.

Her religious dedication to drawing is both thrilling and soothing. She exposes what most of us would dismiss as ordinary. Persimmons, a leaf, a fish, potatoes. Her intricate line work is mesmerizing. Find a moment of quietude and spend some time getting lost in the details of Asawa’s personal practice.

henry taylor b side at the whitney museum

closing January 28th

Henry is an eccentric, free-flowing, vibrant painter. He paints what he feels. It’s raw, it’s fast, it’s intimate.

Painting everyone from “family members, friends, neighbors, celebrities, politicians, and strangers…His improvisational approach to art making is hinted at in this exhibition’s title, Henry Taylor: B Side, which refers to the side of a record album that often contains lesser-known, more experimental songs.”2

judy chicago “herstory” at the new museum

closing march 3rd

Some of us have experienced Judy Chicago’s monumental installation “The Dinner Party”, which currently resides at the Brooklyn Museum. Witness the full breadth of Judy Chicago’s practice at the New Museum before it closes. Spanning over 60 years, this is the first show that examines the full arc of Judy’s art and process.

“It’s a big show, full of big art and big gestures: early, hefty experiments in minimalist painting and sculpture; canvases filled with floral, vulvar imagery; trippy tapestries; and more.”3

The fourth floor of the museum is a special treat. I could easily spend another hour or two getting lost in the artworks and archival materials presented in this “exhibition within the exhibition”. Titled “The City of Ladies” and described as Chicago’s “personal museum,” it is a careful and meticulous curation of over eighty artists, writers, and thinkers.

Finally, check out my previous post on Going Dark at the Guggenhiem which is up through April 7th

Share (in)composition

xx,

Dalal

It’s cabbage season. A member of the brassica family, cabbages come in a variety of forms and physiques. From shades of white and vibrant green to a full spectrum of purple hues, each type offers a different leaf structure and texture. Whether smooth or wrinkled, they present a delightful canvas to experiment with and consume.

Cabbage has a rock-solid reputation all over the world. It’s one of those vegetables that have a place in almost every culture - whether it’s kimchi in Korea, kraut in Germany, cabbage soups in Russia, coleslaw in the Netherlands, or, my favorite from growing up, Egyptian treats called malfoof. 1

My favorite variety to eat right now is the Caraflex cabbage. Instantly recognizable for their conical shape, they are pale white-green with tightly wrapped, buttery smooth, leaves. They are on the sweeter side and so juicy that they have an almost romaine-lettuce-like crunch when you bite into the water-rich stems. Overall, they are less pungent than their cabbage sisters and, perhaps for that reason, have grown tremendously in popularity amongst farmers and chefs.

Some of the best Caraflex cabbage you can buy in NYC is from Norwich Meadow Farms. They are at USQ Market throughout the week, but frequent many other markets across the five boroughs and even make it out to Scarsdale. They have a fab winter CSA program too. Their Caraflex cabbage’s sweet, juicy leaves are so damn good they got a shout out in the most recent NYMag, highlighting farmer Zaid Kurdieh’s power “to make chef’s beg for cabbage.”

Here are a few spots in NYC featuring the seasonal Caraflex on their menus this week: Rafs, Gabs, Jean-George’s lunch tasting and Foul Witch.

On my most recent trip to Piedmont, I couldn’t help notice chefs featuring cabbage as the crowning point of their tasting menus. The first was at Piazza Duomo where sweet, wilted cabbage rested on a bed of silky polenta and a healthy shaving of tartufi bianco.

One of the standout dishes of the entire trip, and one of the best dishes I've had all year, was the Cabbage 2.0 at LORTO. This dish was an incredible showcase of how, with the right techniques, a simple cabbage can be incredibly decadent, smoky, and just as meaty as your typical secondi. Cabbage became the short rib that evening. It had an umami funk and a spectacular crust that made me second guess how I want to cook any vegetable ever again. I immediately went home and pulled out my terrine, layering my steamed cabbage leaves with a green garlic butter, and spontaneously improvised a recipe in hopes to find a pathway to this perfect cabbage…

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what to see: kaari upson “body as a landscape” at spruth magers, UES

Kaari Upson, who passed away after a long struggle with cancer, left behind a prolific body of work that details psychic and emotional anguish through creativity, while consistently examining the balance between beauty and disgust.2

There are two master works that anchor the exhibition, which is up now through December 21st 2023.

“The room-sized installation eleven compromises a forest of suspended tree limbs; all eleven are cast from the tree outside the artist’s childhood home melded with enlarged casts of her knee. Visible termite trails take on the look of arteries and veins, and the leg’s scale miniaturizes the viewer, as if they were returning to a child’s size - modeled by the artist herself in this portrait shot in 2019. These hybrid objects, whose colors range from earth and skin-tones to radiant hues display the importance for Upson of the casting process, which imprints not only physical surfaces but psychic and emotional histories as well.”3

“The second monumental work on view, Untitled (2015–21), is the largest and most ambitious drawing the artist ever produced. Upson’s drawing style was unique, filled with seemingly innumerable layers of bodily presences and texts rife with psychological exploration—all sourced from past artworks and readings, as well as the artist’s own writings and studies for future projects.”4

design crush: this iconic Afra and Tobia Scarpa “Soriana” couch at Doyle Auctions, UES

If you haven’t popped into Doyle’s on the Upper East Side, I encourage you to please step in. It’s a great auction house right here in NYC with wonderful curated auctions all year round.

You need this Soriana couch. Someone save her. This CLASSIC and highly coveted couch from the 1970’s just needs a little TLC. Some new fabric. A new home. A new lover. You have 24hrs to pull the trigger and she’s conveniently waiting for you on the UES.

XX,

D

As you might expect, Italians don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, but that doesn’t mean you can’t properly celebrate this American tradition in Italy. This year, that’s what I did, trading turkey1 for tartufi. 

My pilgrimage to Piedmont, also home of Barolo and Barbera wines, was an unparalleled experience, both humbling and decadent. Nestled into the gentle slopes of Piedmont is the rare jewel that grows wild during the Fall and early Winter months: the tartufo bianco. One of the most coveted mushrooms on earth, they are worthy of their reputation.  

The white truffle’s scientific name is “tuber magnatum pico”. These truffles are a wild fungus that can only grow underground, in moist soil, at the roots of lindens, willows, oaks, and poplar trees. The truffles vary in color and size, displaying every shade of amber, grey and white. Some contain varying gorgeous marble-like pink veining, darker red fleshy spots, or even yellowing depending on their host tree. 

My first stop was in Alba, world-renowned for the special quality of their truffles and where most white truffles are regionally and globally sourced.

While Alba is known as the motherland of white truffles, my schooling occurred in Canelli. I had the pleasure of meeting a wonderful man named Michele, who had an even more wonderful hunting dog named Fulmine (aka Lightning). Their goal is to put their hometown on the map. Boasting that Canelli has some of the finest truffles in the world, I joined Michele and Fulmine on their rigorous hunt for their coveted white truffles.

Michele taught me the intricacies of the landscape necessary for truffle growth. He first pointed out the poplar trees on his land, the key breed for Canelli truffles. He then highlighted areas alongside streams and deeper crevices within the valleys. These are the areas that draw the most moisture, allowing for perfect truffle growing conditions. Unfortunately, rain has been less frequent in the falls than in previous years as a result of climate change, making for later and less abundant truffle seasons, but they’re still very much present.

Ultimately, we followed alongside our human and canine guide, cheering on our star hunting dog with words of encouragement: “Bravo!”, “Encore!”, “Andiamo!” as he zipped from one tree to the next . Keeping his spirits high over the course of the hunt was key to keeping his attention and focus. The truffles are often buried pretty deep underground. Fulmine starts with a deep nose sniff and quick dig before Michele joins in with a mini shovel. It was a grueling task and after a couple of hours, Fulmine had to retire back to the house, but not before pointing out a potential spot where they could possible get lucky the next day. Thankfully, we were able to taste a Canelli truffle from a prior hunt. Fulmine also had a nibble.

At every trattoria and osteria in Piedmont, we enjoyed tartufi on humble dishes. A simple buttered noodle, a bowl of gnocchi, a slice of buttered bread, a poached egg, or a subtly cooked vegetable were the best vehicles for the fleeting truffle.

what to see in Milan: paraventi, folding screens from the 17th to 21st centuries at the ondazione prada, milano

Curated by Nicholas Cullinan, the exhibition up at the Prada Foundation in Milano “traces the origins of paravents in China in the late Chou dynasty, where they began as objects of spiritual contemplation and inspiration; their migration to Japan, often placed at the threshold of a home to ward off malign influences; the way they were then imported to the West, in the process parsing the evolving distinction between polyptychs and paravents; their deployment during the Baroque period as props in both theater and opera; and finally and most fundamentally, their adoption by an astonishing array of artists, architects, and designers during the 19th and 20th centuries, and on to the present.”2

The exhibition is divided into segments expanding two floors.

“Readings, East and West”—focuses on how the decorations on the works can be read, whether from the right or left, as landscape or cartography, emphasizing their transnational character and complex history of migration and translation.

“Public/Private” explores the function of folding screens to create spaces for purposes of intimacy, with particular reference to their erotic nature and sexual connotation, from the domestic dimension to taboos.

“Split Screens” highlights how screens today reflect our pervasive digital experience. Originally, a folding screen was not a place of visibility, but an object offering physical protection. This dialectic between revelation and concealment survives today in the screens of our devices, which are both opaque and transparent, windows and flat surfaces.

“Four Seasons: Space and Time, Figuration and Abstraction” examines how screens’ physical structure allows the narrative to unfold sequentially in space and time, both in the traditional representation of the seasons and through figuration and abstraction.

“Propaganda,” artists reflect on screens’ political and provocative potential. Furniture and decoration are domains in which ‘high’ art is separated from art considered less pure.

“World of Interiors” addresses the potential subversiveness of queer aesthetics to redefine the semantic field of what is considered decorative.

“Parody/Paradox” section, we analyze transparent screens, works whose structure contradicts the screening function, with humorous or parodical effects. - 3

design crush at the castello: the hand painted cherubs at castello di guarene

If you would like my Piedmont itinerary, ask!

XX,

D

To know me is to know that I am a persimmon junky. On my ultimate list of top fruits, persimmons are queen. Every year, I eagerly count down the days to when these plump, vibrant, orange fruits make their way to the nearest market. In peak season, I can barely go a day without eating at least one persimmon. I hoard them throughout fall and early winter, eating them in abundance until I turn orange.

At the height of persimmon season, you will undoubtedly catch me “orange-handed” walking around the streets of NYC with a half-bitten persimmon in hand or with a tote delicately filled to the brim with these precious jewels.

If you stop by my home, you will likely leave with a semi-ripe persimmon along with strongly-worded plea to be patient and resist indulging until its reached its pinnacle of ripeness. 

When the season comes to an end, my heart aches, and I find myself back where I started, counting down the days all over again until I can eat my weight in my favorite fruit.

The two varieties of persimmons we commonly find in NYC are Fuyu and Hachiya. Hachiya are also known kaki/cachi should you find yourself in Asia or in some European countries. I have had the pleasure of finding kaki throughout Italy and France over my fall travels.

I love both varieties, though they have different characteristics.

Fuyus look like flat, firm, glossy orange tomatoes that are most delicious when they are eaten right off the stem. They should have shiny, bright skin and feel firm to the touch. Look for top leaves that are more green than brown, which indicates freshness. When biting into one, they should be succulent but still maintain a nice, crunchy texture. If they are unripe they will be too hard and will not taste as sweet. They are best stored at room temperature and eaten immediately, but you can store them in the fridge for a couple of days. I like to enjoy them raw and generally have one in my tote as they are easier to consume when walking around vs. the hachiya persimmon. Other fun ways to consume fuyus: toss them into your fall and winter salads or sub them in for tomatoes and make a salsa or a caprese.

As much as I adore a fuyu, I idolize the hachiya aka kaki persimmon. Hachiyas are larger globe-like fruits that are oval/curved with a thinner skin.

The main difference between hachiyas and fuyus is that when hachiyas are perfectly ripe, they have the opposite texture. A ripe hachiya looks as if they are about to burst. The fruit swells and the color evolves from a pale orange to the most vibrant, neon red-orange. They are very delicate to handle - think of a thin water balloon that’s about to pop, and treat them as such. The ripe fruits are gooey and luscious with sweet, subtle nuances of cinnamon and honey.

Never bite into an unripe hachiya. They are unpleasant and astringent. They’ll leave you puckering with a cotton-mouth sensation. You will know if they are unripe if they are firm and do not yet have their neon glow. Again, trust me when I say, be patient. Wait diligently to the point where the fruit look as if it is about to fall apart before consuming. They are worth it.

Throughout the season there are clusters of hachiya persimmons in different spots of my kitchen, depending where they are in their ripening process. I like hiding very firm pieces in depths of my dark pantry to speed up the process, or high up on the top of cabinets when they are half-baked. You can tell if they are ripening if they start to soften and change color. When they are a couple of days away from their peak ripeness, I like to proudly display them, leaf side down, on a regal tazza (sourced ofc from LiveAuctioneers) on the counter top to keep an eye on them from going over. Do not put them in the fridge in the middle of the ripening as this will stop the process altogether. You can store them in the fridge when ripe, although mine never make it to fridge (because I inhale them).

Since the fruit at it’s ripest is gooey mess, the easiest method for most people to eat one is to place it in a bowl, stem side down and make a little hole at the top, eating it with a spoon. I personally never mind a messy treat, especially when it comes to my hachiyas. I usually bite the end of the persimmon and suck all the gooey goodness through my incisions, leaving the skin intact .

They are the perfect fruit perfect for making any compotes, jams or jellies. You can freeze an extra gooey hachiya to enjoy as an excellent sorbet. Their cinnamon essence pairs well with chocolate and fun holiday spices such as nutmeg, cloves etc. You can use them as an alternative to pumpkin and make a persimmon pie, or southern persimmon pudding, or even make a persimmon bread.

what to see: dana schutz “jupiter's lottery” at david zwirner

“Dana Schutz is an unbridled legend, whose ultra-vivid, tragicomic paintings command attention like few others of her generation. Schutz paints wet-on-wet, populating her scenes with a semi-grotesque, evocative cast of characters.”1 I am absolutely obsessed with the tactile, otherworldly, sculptures on view alongside her monumental paintings.

design crush of the week: barton’s auction

Every season, I am on the edge of my seat waiting for to Barton’s Auction to release their quarterly sale (which ironically might include a new seat). Based in Nazareth, PA, this meticulously curated auction house delivers right to NYC for a small fee (depending on the size of your lot). You can take at the full upcoming sale here. Below are some of my fav’s:

It’s mid-November and all of a sudden, sprouts are the ‘stalk’ of the town. Brussels Sprouts are part of the brassica family, which also include broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. And yes, they may just look like tiny cabbages, but never tell that to a Brussel Sprouts’ many little faces. They’ll immediately point out that they grow on stalks in rows, not as singular heads like cabbages.

You can find full sprout stalks at the farmers’ market or buy sprouts off of their stalks all over the city. Avoid sprouts that are soft to the touch. Look for firm, shiny heads with zero or minimal spotting and brightly colored leaves. The smaller the sprouts, the more tender and sweet they will be. Larger sprouts lean towards their cabbage counterparts in flavor.

Here are some ideas for your next encounter with brussels sprouts: Make a refreshing large raw salad or slaw and skip cooking them altogether, cook them like Rawia Bishara, the chef at one of my favorite middle eastern restaurants in Bay Ridge, Tanooreen, or luxuriate in a batch of sweet pickled, brussels sprouts from my dearest pickle resource - the pickle guys in the LES.

what to see: going dark: the contemporary figure at the edge of visibility at the Guggenheim

Make the trip uptown to explore Dr. Ashley James’ large-scale exhibition at the Guggenheim which features 28 ‘multigenerational, multiracial group of artists who address pressing questions around what it means to be seen, not seen, or erased in society, through formal experimentations with the figure.’1

Dr. Ashley James ‘arrived at the phrase “going dark” one night when scrolling on her phone, jotting exhibition title ideas in her Notes App. “We know if somebody says, ‘You went dark on me,’ they’re saying, ‘You didn’t reply to my text,’” she tells me on a recent afternoon at the Guggenheim’s Financial District offices. “It’s also resonant in terms of darkness as a concept. The darkness that is literally Blackness. I’m well aware of the cheekiness of ‘going dark’ and what it means for it to be a Black rotunda show in the museum that does not have a track record of having Black artists at all, let alone in the rotunda. It clicks.”2

crushing on: the empty chair at Cildo Meireles solo show One and Some Chairs / Camouflages at Galerie Lelong & Co.

The installation Uma a sete cadeiras (One and Seven Chairs), (1997-2023) begins with the structure of a simple kitchen chair, then reconfigures its presence in different materials: acrylic, sawdust, ash, and canvas. In one iteration of the chair, Meireles foregrounds the absence of the object, presenting an acrylic tower with an interior that reveals the emptiness of the chair itself. “I am interested in this evanescent thing, that is, a kind of dissolution of the object. There is a desire to play with the faculty of seeing through a sort of invisibility of invisibility,” says the artist of the enduring theme of emptiness throughout his practice.3

The cauliflowers are showing off this time of year. You’ll start spotting caulis at some farmers’ markets as early as June, but peak season runs September through the end of November. This is when we take the time to delight in their myriad of scale and color.

The varieties I gravitate towards range from the comically gargantuan to the slender and sleek sprouting caulis. On my last run to the market, I brought home eight, palm-sized, miniature cauliflowers that were tightly wrapped in green curly leaves (you’ll see them mid-cook below). On other days, I love roasting cheddar yellow cauliflowers and blanching deep purple florets as they both retain their saturated color after cooking.

I’ve been looking forward to Sohla el Waylly’s cookbook “Start Here” all year. Sohla’s book distills the how’s and why’s of culinary techniques that foundationally teach you how to cook versus just simply following a recipe. The “coconut cauliflower korma” from the braising section seemed like the perfect seasonal test. The recipe calls for one large or extra large head of cauli, but I used the minis I had on hand instead:

For an XL cauliflower, a roast is generally my go-to. Depending on the size, I’ll often take the additional step of blanching the whole head for a couple of minutes to ensure it will be cooked all the way through before roasting it. If you do this, allow for the cauli to cool after blanching before applying any oil pre-roast as it will otherwise slip right off.

see: hilary harkness “prisoners from the front” at P.P.O.W.

This is Hilary’s first solo show at PPOW in over a decade. Immerse yourself in her innovative and imaginative, alternate feminist histories of the Civil War.

“Artists do destroy while they create, though the slate is never clean of art’s history. Harkness’ paintings contend with and disrupt conventions in narrative paintings, using fantasy and realities, possible and improbable ones. She entertains and plagues stereotypes, often with comic effect, which have been embroidered into psyches for centuries. In our messy image-laden culture, common representations of women show them as benign, unlikely to cause trouble, but Harkness’s figures act out, act up, and cause trouble. They are trouble-makers.”– Lynne Tillman, Hilary Harkness: Queer Visions, 20231

design crush of the week: a golden mid-century modern espresso set

I am obsessing over the gorgeous patina and the delicately wrapped, leather-curved handles on this vintage espresso set designed by Alfonso Bialetti in the 1950/60’s.

xx,

D

Fall carrots are absolutely exquisite right now. Take note the next time you are at the farmer's market or your local grocery store. Colorful, plump, fall carrots will be sticking out of every basket. You’ll know the quality of the carrot from the rich saturation of its color. Pick the most vibrant looking bundles you can find. As the weather gets colder, the carrot roots progressively take on a sweeter, more delicious flavor. When making your final selection, be on the lookout for thick and firm roots without cracks.

Here are some show-stopping carrots from USQ Market and beyond along with a few different preparations.

see: louis fratino “in bed and abroad” at sikkema jenkins

design crush of the week: this cartier art deco men's traveling case from the 1930’s at auctions on showplace

Bid on this Cartier Art Deco men's traveling silver toilet set preserved in a custom leather monogramed case. Each silver piece is stamped with British hallmarks "J.C" for Jacques Cartier of Cartier, Ltd., and there is a date mark for 1937. All silver items are stamped with an art deco "PB" monogram, including the saddle leather case which is stamped "P de B" on the top. The interior of the suitcase is elaborately fitted in red morocco leather. Drool.

see: issy wood “study for no” at lafayette anticipations

Dive into Issy Wood’s inner world where she explores the power dynamics of femininity and identity at her first solo exhibition in France that is up through January 7th 2024. 

design must stop: paul bert serpette/marché aux puces de paris saint-ouen

One of my favorite antique markets in the world. Get lost here over the weekend. Here are some my favorite pieces from this trip.

XX,

D

drink: martinis

see: philip guston at tate modern

see: sarah lucas “happy gas” at tate britain

see: nicole eisenman “what happened” at whitechapel

frieze masters crush: mona hatoum’s “jardin public chair” at white cube

“ Jardin Public (1993)… is a classic French garden chair with a neat triangle of pubic hair that looks as if it is growing out of the holes in the seat. Its punning title refers to the etymological relation between the words ‘pubic’ and ‘public’. A humorous and light-hearted work that conjures up the Surrealist spirit and wit of Magritte.”1

XX,

D

If you’ve passed by any local NYC market over the last few weeks, it’s likely you’ve noticed the sweet transition from our beloved late-summer berries to the plumper, juicier grape. September to early October is peak grape season and now is the time to grab a bundle. October brings in an abundance of red grape varieties but the green grapes are just as good.

Concords, captured in the video below, are my all-time favorite grape. They are tender, dark, and highly fragrant. As a “slip-skin” grape, they are easy to separate from their skins and therefore often used for juicing and cooking. Ironically, that’s also what makes them unpopular in supermarkets - their aesthetics don’t hold up well to transportation. I say, don’t mind those broken skins but do be mindful of their seeds. Caradonna Farms at USQ market is my go-to spot for my Concords. When I see them out in full swing, I know it’s time for Autumn.

Checkout local farms, Philips, Locust Grove and Buzzard Crest at USQ Market to discover the full diversity of grapes that grow in the East Coast. If you see a species you’re not familiar with, just ask! The farmers will be happy to give you a brief overview, along with a sweet sample. Here are some of my other favorite grapes you can try this season:

Nearly any supermarket will have great grapes right now. Look for plump, shiny grapes with consistent saturated color throughout the batch. The stems should be green and pliable vs. brown and dry. The best way to store them is in the fridge in an open bowl or perforated bag to allow for circulation. Don’t forget to freeze at least one bunch - they transform into little sorbet bites.

Eat them plain, replacing your morning summer berries, pop them into a salad, or cook them.

I personally experimented with roasting mine. You can roast them high and fast or low and slow. Use them to amplify any cheese platter or even drape them on a slice of bread topped with ricotta, drizzling their juices, honey and flaky salt right on top.

what to see: ali cherri at the swiss institute

“Humble and quiet and soothing as mud,” Ali Cherri’s first solo show in the United States, is right in the East Village at the Swiss Institute.

A child of the Lebanese Civil War, Cherri’s work focuses on the way that violence is archived everywhere, in the body, in artifacts, in museum collections, and even in the ground itself. He questions how art, individual humans, museums, and other societal structures deal with narratives of trauma.

This show is all about mud. Mud within origin stories and myths, mud as a building material for early societies, mud as the meeting place for cellular life, and mud as the ultimate preserver of archaeological finds.

On the ground floor, Cherri combines mud and archaelogical/sculptural fragments that he acquires at auction to sculpt his own version of Mesopotamian, mythological figures within a re-telling of “Gilgamesh”. He uses mud to literally “muddy” the narrative of these often forged, smuggled, and instituted artifacts - attempting to release them from their economic and colonial attachments.

On the second floor you will find the three-channel video installation “Of Men and Gods and Mud (2022)” for which Ali was awarded the Silver Lion at the 59th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. The video follows a group of brickmakers at the Merowe Dam, the largest hydropower plant in Africa. Cherri’s allegorical tale alludes to the “displacement, social unrest, the destruction of ecosystems, and the submersion of cultural sites and artifacts”1 brought about by the construction of this dam (the ultimate blending between land and water) and similar projects.

design crush of the week: helen keller’s letter

This tiny letter by Helen Keller is from Robert Gober’s personal collection on display at Demisch Danat. The exhibition features collected objects of affection from Gober’s personal collection displayed alongside various works by Gober himself.

xx,

D

The stunning Castelfranco radicchio has started to make her wonderful appearance as early fall unfolds. This red speckled butter cream rosette is mild, pleasantly bitter and subtly sweeter than other chicories.

Campo Rosso is one of my treasured farms, making an appearance every Friday at the USQ Market. Known for specializing in Italian heirloom chicories, this is the farm that brings all the chefs to the yard. They are hands down the best spot in NYC to buy gorgeous chicory rosettes, amongst many other specialty produce (the BVE1 is out of control). Campo Rosso is worth the pilgrimage or detour Friday mornings (early is best to snag a rosette) if you can make it out to USQ.

If the market is not accessible or not part of your weekend plans, hop into Eataly, Citarella or the Tin Building.

It’s no fuss to prep. You can make a salad with a simple vinaigrette or serve it warm, roasting the leaves before tossing it with your vin. You can play with Fall and Winter fruits - think citrus such as blood oranges or my Fall obsession, persimmons. Top with roasted hazelnuts or any nut. Drizzle some honey. Squeeze some acid. Add a pungent local cheese.

If you see a Castelfranco salad on a menu: ORDER ONE!

what to see: nina hartmann at silke lindner

Nina Hartmann at Silke Lindner, Tribeca

This is the last week to see Nina Hartmann’s show “Soft Power” at Silke Lindner, which closes this upcoming Saturday October 7th.

Driven by deep research, Hartmann takes an extensive look at the function of modern day information and the malleability of proof and truth. “Soft Power” features resin and wax sculptures embedded with prints from “official government outlets and archives, including the U.S. Air Force or the CIA” mixed alongside varying “alternative sources of information like message boards and UFO believer websites.”.

I love how the tension between the varying sources compels us to question their legitimacy, highlighting the precarious way we must digest information every day.

design crush of the week: the cabbage chair

Obsessed with the volume of this Cabbage Chair by Oki Sato on view at MoMA’s Life Cycles: The Materials of Contemporary Design exhibit on view now.

“The Cabbage Chair is a response to a challenge from fashion designer Issey Miyake to create an application for the heaps of paper that are a by-product of the fabric-pleating process used in many of his designs.”

XX,

D

Your friend who is always seeing art or hauling seasonal branches and produce from the local market. The girl that doesn’t settle for an ordinary experience or a bland piece of fruit. Who firmly believes that if one must do anything in this short, transient, experience we call life - why shouldn’t it be incredibly thoughtful and meticulously curated?

I impel you to not settle for less. Encourage you to become a seeker. Dare you to dive into the crevices of the city you live in and encounter it in its fullest. To experience the highbrow and the lowbrow of culture, the simple and the obscure. To motivate you to act on purpose and yet express yourself spontaneously. 

I’m here to persuade you that the details matter.

Why not take the step to see a piece of contemporary art in the wild, in person, giving yourself the opportunity to experience color, texture and volume in a way that cannot be practiced other than surrendering to art in real time?

Why not chase the ripest piece of fruit or vegetable at the height of its seasonal glory?

Can we allow the seasons to be the markers of our time, of our life experiences? Can we permit fleeting encounters with food, art and design to anchor us in the present moment and help us connect more immediately and intimately with our every day? Life can be a series of curated moments that are seemingly simple, and yet so incredibly profound that they leave you running and wanting more. 

Let me be your guide. I look forward to sharing what this glorious city has to offer. 

-D