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An exhibition of "The Richmond Cookbook" project will be at VCU's Anderson gallery during August and September. (Photo by Steven Casanova)
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An exhibition of "The Richmond Cookbook" project will be at VCU's Anderson gallery during August and September. (Photo by Steven Casanova)
Every homemade dish tells us stories — stories passed down through generations that make their way toward our stomachs. And in that way, every dish is a photograph that depicts stories from the past and the present.
“The Richmond Cookbook” is a collection of recipes and photographs from around the city used for a greater purpose than just to satisfy our hunger. It aims to feed us the culture and diversity of Richmond. The man behind the project is Steven Casanova, a Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts graduate who is completing his residency at The Anderson gallery.
In 2014, Casanova began to work on his first documentary project with members of the historically black neighborhood of Carver to revamp the community garden and create a platform for the longtime residents to tell their story of a city changing around them, making them visible to college students who live in Carver.
His work in Carver and his love for food inspired him to create his Instagram page “CheapGarlic,” which he uses as a platform to educate his friends and followers about food and health in a serious and informational way, but also with hints of sarcasm. “CheapGarlic” is both an online and print project that combines food history and science.
“I’ve always been conscious of what I eat,” says Casanova. “ ‘CheapGarlic’ also comes from being broke, and so I try to reach people who are broke and feel like they cannot eat healthy because of their financial status.”
Growing up, Casanova’s mother had an arthritis condition that made it very difficult for her to cook. Soon, there was a direct correlation between his mother’s condition and his household’s eating habits. At 14, Casanova decided that if he didn’t take over and start to cook for his family, they wouldn’t ever eat healthfully.
Combining his work with Carver residents, with farmers in Puerto Rico and "CheapGarlic," Casanova applied for a residency at The Anderson with the idea that he would combine his camera work and what he does on his own free time.
“Looking at pictures from when I was in the jungles of Puerto Rico, I’ve come to think that food is our last connection to nature,” Casanova says. “How often are you walking barefoot? It’s our last time touching a plant. Food is our inherent connection to the earth that we experience every day.”
Casanova has been taking online recipe submissions and handwritten recipes from those who submit them at Richmond Public Library branches.
The gallery exhibition opens at The Anderson, 902 1/2 W. Franklin St., today (Aug. 4) and will be open for two months. During this time, Casanova says he hopes he will collect more recipes and turn his project into a physical copy.
