comes manje at paradis books & bread

While contemplating the cultural overlaps in prominent Miami communities, Michelle Lisa Polissaint examines how our staple foods share significant commonalities. She explains, “We all have some kind of rice dish or stewed chicken or meat and fruit pastries. Many of which come from our shared ancestry in Africa. The project titled comes manje—translated ‘eat, eat’ in Spanish and Kreyol, respectively—connects these thoughts about the Diaspora by abstracting staple dishes into designs inspired by African wax fabric.”

Last Sunday evening, Michelle unveiled a new iteration of comes manje to our community. With a wine selection and menu curated by the fine folks at paradis books & bread, we talked art, food, and sang our hearts out in an epic karaoke session hosted by multidisciplinary artist Agua Dulce. Uniquely for Comissioner, Michelle created original drawings printed onto fabric, and sewed them together as a mounted assemblage. Altogether, she designed five configurations in editions of 10, rendering black beans, pikliz/ensalada de repolla, djon djon/mushroom rice, ropa vieja, sweet plantains, and white rice in different fabric textures and patterns.

Through the transformation of materials, Michelle’s artworks recreate memories and shared histories that reconcile geographies, cultures, and ethnographies.

Read more about the artist in The New Tropic. Overwhelming gratitude to Maven Leadership Collective with Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator for their support of this initiative. Photos by Andrea Lorena.