THE EYE OF THE OBSERVER:
A Project Based on the Handcraft of Making Pasta & the Art of Observing
Making fresh pasta by hand is not a simple feat. It is a delicate, intimate procedure which takes perfect timing, attention to detail, balance of ingredients, and an overall awareness. The time and dedication that goes into it is greatly rewarded by the alluring smell of the finished dish…the texture, the taste and the beauty of each handmade morsel.
16 artistst are invited to observe when tortellioni is made from scratch. Within the next 3 weeks they interpret their observations to an art work. When they meet again we arrange an exhibition and invite audience to part take in pasta making.
INVITED ARTISTS
1. PHOTOGRAPHER TONI KASTELAN (SWEDEN) 2. PHOTOGRAPHER BESS ADLER (NEW YORK) 3. PERFORMANCE ARTIST ANNE-MARTE EIDSETH RYGH (NORWAY) . DANCER/ACTOR MAXIMILIAN BALDUZZI (ITALY) 5. PRODUCER AND TORTELLO MAKER FRANCESCA DIVANO (ITALY) 6. GRAPHIC DESIGNER BARBARA LUKOSEVICIUS (NEW YORK) 7. VISUAL ARTIST SOL KJØK (NORWAY) 8. INTERACTION DESIGNER SUSANNA TESCONI (ITALY) 9. PHOTOGRAPHER MICHAELA POLONI (ITALY).
EXHIBITION 25th OF SEPTEMBER OPEN TO AUDIENCE PRIORITY GALLERY BROOKLYN
25TH OF SEPTEMBER WE HOLD AN EXHIBITION AT PRIOROTY GALLERY BROOKLYN WITH PARTICIPATING AUDIENCE. BELOW ARE EXERPTS FROM THE EXHIBITION:
PHOTO DOCUMENTATION (click on the images for full size version).
By Toni Kastelan
Susanna Tesconi exhibition Proposal.
Mika Poloni selected Photo.
Anne-Marte E.Rygh Performance Actions:
1. BOIL SPAGHETTI PASTA AND SHAPE THE WORDS THAT TICKLES YOUR TOUNGE
2. TAKE YOUR TEMPERATURE WHILST MAKING PASTABEFORE DURING AFTER
3. FIND A ROOFTOP FACING NORTH CREATE A FIELD OF FLOUR VULCANOS FILL THE HOLES WITH PAST REGRETS. WHISPER AND SEAL. LET GO
Toni Kastelan Documentation Photos 25th of October.
SOUNDS LIKE A RECEIPY
By Anne-Marte E.Rygh
F is preparing, her hands are ready and moove deceiselvely. She prepares the pumkin meat. She takes off her ring and places it on the wooden board. 18 eyes and 9 participants are paying close attention and gathering around the table. F says bake the pumpkin in the oven, check every 15 minutes for the consistency that should be what it should be. F cannot say how many minutes, it’s a matter of experience and knowing when it’s right, it cannot be told it should be felt. The other option is to boil the pumpkin. You cut the pieces to the size of two thumbs. Let it bake/boil until you feel it’s right.
ORANGE COLOR
The colour of the orange butternut squash and pumpkin is discussed in detail. A spiritual colour or is that the saffron? The 50 shades of orange. Senses ligthing and metaphysics. S says saffron robes are worn by Hindu and Buddhist monks. A colour that symbolizes sacrifice and the spirit of renunciation used to represent the second Chakra. In western culture it’s a royal colour and it’s often used as warning sign to promote awareness of self injury.” TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF-KNOW WHEN TO LET GO
CLIMB A MOUNTAIN OR TAME THE VULCANO
The flour is placed on a piece of wood. Eager hands climb the mountain and make a well in the middle, then crack the eggs and let the yolk in. Start kneading. Tame the vulcano. Use water to get the right consistency. The balance is felt and F gives no measures in cups-know when it’s right. Give patience to the mix and kneed. DOMINATE THE DOUGH. Use the palm of the hand for kneading, F says “it’s a good exercise that will enhance it’s beauty when done with big breasts. When a woman is in her period the body temperature is higher which is not good for making pasta or doing any baking with eggs. ” M notice the ring she has taken off and says “The wedding ring is taken off before the dough is handled and the ring is placed on a strategic point. Another anecdote: According to Catholic tradition pasta should not be eaten before mass but after. At Sunday everyone is at home and eats fresh pasta after mass at 12.00 even if you have a hangover and dont feel like eating pasta. You still have to eat it.”
Knead the dough for 30 minutes minimum, if you kneed it for 60 minutes it will be even better. The more time the more love the more taste. Set the legs apart to get power in the kneading. Knead on wood or on marble the dough is sensitive and soaks up flavour to the surface of the kneading. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes or more. Power nap under cotton cloth. TEMPERATURE If it’s too hot and too humid keep it cool sprinkle flower on the dough and keep the dough covered with a cotton cloth.
THE DOUGH IS RESTING AND SO ARE WE
F discovers there is a missing ingredient: The Ameretto Sweet almond . No worries. You may also some use cinnamon but it’s an American thing.
When the pumpkin meat is ready baked/boiled mash it with a fork. Mix with parmesan a good handful, stir it in one direction. Use time and patience until the consistence is like the CHEEK OF A CHILD. The movement of stirring is in the wrist 15-20 minutes minimum. F grates the skin of a lemon LET’S RAPE/GRATE A LEMON AND DANCE. F adds some pinches of salt and a pinch of nutmeg powder. Taste it or you won’t know what you are made of you, won’t know what’s right. Keep the taste not so sweet, it helps the consistency, add grated parmesan for balance.
OK LETS GO PASTA
After the dough is kneaded and rested in an Italian time lapse. F gets the rolling pin and starts rolling the dough. “You need to dominate the dough show it who’s boss. STENDERE”. You may need Maria Callas singing in the background to help you out. Roll the pasta in 2 different directions. There is however a subtle difference, pasta made with anger is not good neither is jealous pasta. Make a lovers pasta by thinking of your loved ones that’s how you can make everybody fall in love.
Pasta made in 1973 and pasta made 1977, whats the difference? HOME COOKING NO MORE?
PUTTING THE FILLING IN THE PASTA
After rolling the pasta skin thin (it needs to be this thin, this is one of the secrets revealed and we know that there are more secrets that will not be told this time. Maybe more secrets will be told when we meet again, if we meet again the year after that and the year after that. Then it’s called tradition, it’s called family secrets and it takes time to build a relationship.) THE ART OF SECRECY AND SECRET NR 1: If you make the dough thin it will soak up the filling and taste better. Take a glass and hole out a round moon. Take a soup spoon of filling and centre it on the moon then fold the edge to a half moon, seal the edges well or it will open during cooking. F sprinkles flower on the pumpkins if they are to wet then they won’t stick. The flower used should be fine grained, it’s called 0/0.
DON’T USE THE MACHINE MACHINE MAKINA.
M says Normally there is a man behind a woman when rolling the pasta. He demonstrates. You may draw a sketch here to exemplify. Love and pasta
FOLD AND SHAPE THE PASTA, HERE COMES THE U.F.O moment the pasta looking like an U.F.O. F says you are allowed to eat the tortellonis raw when you can’t make the right shape, when they appear as a failure you should eat it before it ends up at the plate for everyone to see it. EAT YOUR FAILURE – EAT YOUR PAST - A-
BOIL THE WATER, salt the water and let the pasta boil until it’s right (and we still don’t know what that is, F insists we do) when it’s ready take the pasta out and put it in a Ziv, pour melted butter and fresh sage on it and blend very gentle. Let it rest a little.
GET READY TO EAT
We are advised to drink a glass of water or even eat an apple before savouring the pasta. Good tip for digestion, do not eat the fruit after the pasta the fruit will then fermenting the dough in your tummy.
EAT IT
If you want to eat the pasta like an Italian you better watch your posture. Correct your posture, make sure you are sitting straight and don’t put your elbows on the table. Do not taste before F tells you to eat, mangiare, M says if you eat to soon then you know what will happen then it comes for sure the hand SMACK.
MEDITATE.
The Sacral Chakra is associated with the colour orange or red-orange. Visualise the Sun kissed orange red of an evening sunset see it go down. This chakra offers the opportunity to lessen our “control issues” and find a balance in our lives, teaching us to recognise that acceptance and rejection are not the only options in our relationships. The process of making changes in our life stream through our personal choices and is a product of second chakra energy. A well-functioning second chakra helps one to maintain a balance.
Orange Chakra Physical Location lower abdomen to the navel Purposes – emotional connection Spiritual Lesson – creativity, manifestation. Honouring relationships, learning to “let go” Physical Dysfunction’s- low back pain, sciatica, ob/gyn problems, pelvic pain, libido, urinary problems. Emotional Issues – blame, guilt, sex, power, control, creativity, morality. Area of Body Governed – sexual organs, stomach, upper intestines, liver, gallbladder, kidney, pancreas, adrenal glands, spleen, middle spine.
BREATHE. LOVE IS IN THE AIR. NOSTALGIC SONGS ARE SUNG. WE SAY GOODBYE INTO THE NIGHT. SEE YOU SOON.
