Act Natural: Retrospective of Work 2003-2018 - Collector's Edition

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A visit to the outdoor studio of Miami-based artist Cristina Lei Rodriguez is like being transported into a kaleidoscopic daydream—or directly into one of her sculptures. Bohemian chandeliers dangle off the trees and vivid colors drip from every corner; this setting, this deliberate intrusion of the man-made into the natural world, is a theme Rodriguez explores again and again. She works outside in part because much of her work involves heating, melting, and reforming toxic materials, such as plastic, epoxy, plaster, and concrete. The resulting multi-layered work replicates nature, but it’s nature with a twist: nature studded with the artificial, including a generous helping of glitter. The result transports viewers to layered, magical worlds that unfold slowly.

In Act Natural, Rodriguez’s sculptural landscapes and her photographs, which employ the sculptures as a starting point, are documented comprehensively for the first time. The book’s lush design reflects the exuberant, thought-provoking spirit of the artist’s work. Act Natural includes essays by Cristina Lei Rodriguez, Shane Aslan Selzer, José Carlos Diaz, and Christian Larsen.

PUMPKIN SOUP

2 1/4 pounds pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and fibers
removed
2 onions, grated
6 tbsp. Olive oil
2 tbsp. Cumin seeds
2 pinches of ground cayenne
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 ½-in. Fresh ginger, peeled
and finely chopped
2 cups coconut cream
salt and freshly ground
black pepper

Topping
4 to 6 tbsp. Crème fraiche or olive oil
4 to 6 tbsp. Pumpkin seeds, toasted
1 tbsp. Cumin seeds, toasted

Cut the pumpkin into small pieces. Sauté the onions in a large pan with the olive oil, cumin seeds, cayenne, garlic, and ginger. Add the pumpkin and sauté for 5 minutes without browning. Pour in the coconut cream and cook for about 30 minutes until everything is tender. If there is not enough liquid in the pan, a splash of water may be added. Blend the soup in a blender until it’s smooth or use an immersion blender in the pan. Strain the soup. If necessary, push the last remaining soup through the sieve with the rounded side of a spoon. Season the soup with salt and pepper.

Serve the soup with a tablespoon of crème fraîche and toasted pumpkin seeds added to each bowl and a sprinkle of cumin seeds. Serve with breadsticks.