Whole Artist: Edra Soto
About the artist: Edra Soto was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1971. In 1995 Edra received the Alfonso Arana Fellowship to work in Paris, France for a year. She attended The School of the Art Institute of Chicago where she obtained her Masters degree in 2OOO. Immediately after, she attended a 2 months residency at Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. She has exhibited in Puerto Rico, Paris, Australia, Spain, Russia, New York, St Louis, Milwaukee and Chicago. Some of her latest presentations include a live performance at El Museo del Barrio in New York, a solo show and live performance at El Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, UIC Gallery 4OO, NIU Museum in Chicago, and Polvo in Chicago. I met with Edra last Sunday and we talked food: Caribbean comfort food using local eggplant, beans, pumpkin, squash, and root vegetables. The main dish is a tribute to Iris Chacon, the inspiration for Edra's show at the gallery. Iris is an icon in Puerto Rico and pretty much all of Latin America. I remember watching her variety show on TV with my family in the early 80's. Check out an early appearance by Iris Chacon on Dave Letterman: Homemade Baguette, Bacalao, and Eggplant
- Pumpkin, Taro, and Plantain Pasteles filled w/ Roast Pork
- Baby Lettuce, Crisped Plantain Strips, Banana Vinaigrette
- Black Bean Soup w/ Smoked Chorizo and Grilled Squash
- Roast Quail, Carrot and Plantain Sofrito, Yuca and Turnip Gratin
- Pineapple and Coconut Cream Pie, Tamarind Rum Sauce
The black bean soup will be made with a pork stock. The quail will be marinated and then dry rubbed with mustard chile rub before roasting. UPDATE!! Here are some pictures from the event. It was a full house! errr, full gallery!
Jaime de Leon
What an awesome idea, i too grew up watching Iris Chacon on tv, with my mom and dad. How weird was that? However, Lettermans’ description of her as the Puerto Rican Dolly Parton did not do her justice.
Posted 10-21-2008 ,