{[RAFRAM CHADDAD^FISH × ELI PETEL^HUMMUS] + (EXPO GATE ÷ RAFFLE)} =

Dear friend,

This is Lucie Fontaine, I hope this message finds you well!

I am writing to you because I decided to celebrate summertime in Milan with Rafram Chaddad. An artist, food expert and Slow Food representative, as well as a writer and photographer, Rafram has been a continuous source of inspiration for me and for my employees. His modus vivendi and modus operandi embody the kind of freedom we – employers and employees – should all aspire to. His generosity and curiosity are unique. He is the living proof of a lifestyle that mirrors the current state of reality, in flux, unfixed, fluid, yet nurtures the fundamental desire to keep traditions alive, against the current process of homogenization. Whether through cooking or lecturing, through a traveling agency or an installation, through a photographic series or a book inspired by his imprisonment in Libya, Rafram never stops sharing his deep knowledge, his sharp mind, and his big heart.

On July 23 at 7 pm he will be at my space in Milan and he will cook something for those who will decide to come and celebrate the joy of life before the space closes for the summertime.

During his stay, Rafram will also paint his iconic “blue fish.” This is always a barter: the owner of the space, the host – whether a gallery or a restaurant owner – cooks fish for him, and in exchange Rafram paints a blue fish on the wall. In this case, one of my employees will cook fish (“trota [trout] in bella vista”) for him in the traditional Milanese style.

In addition to this act, my space in via Rigola 1 will also be enriched by humus, 2002_2009, a seminal work by Eli Petel. Besides being a great artist, Eli, like Rafram, also comes from Jerusalem. He also shares the identity of “Oriental Jew” [Mizrahi], and he has known Rafram for a very long time. In fact, when Rafram and one of my employees shared a house in Jaffa, the only work of art on the walls of the apartment was humus, 2002, which we are happy to present again here.

Please come and celebrate with us – happy summertime!

Yours truly,

Lucie

PS: If you won’t make it on July 23, please come to Expo Gate on July 24 at 2 pm. Invited by Laura Cherubini, I am organizing a raffle, which banner is designed by Riccardo Beretta using “font-aine,” the typeset he designed for his solo show at my space. Whoever comes to the space is invited to write a thought and a home address on a piece of paper. At the end of the day, we will randomly select one name. The winner will receive a work of art that I will conceive with my employees in response to the winning thought.

Image: A portrait of Rafram Chaddad made by illustrator Ruth Gwily for his book Rafram’s guide to the Libyan Prison published by Am Oved (Tel Aviv) in 2013.