Artistic license
RAPHAËL-BACHIR OSMAN • visual artist, painter & food artist
WORK • Tuesday Routine
RAPHAËL-BACHIR OSMAN • visual artist, painter & food artist
Neighborhood you work in: Lower East Side
Neighborhood you live in: Prospect Heights
It’s Tuesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
I open my studio in the Lower East Side — located in The Clemente, a Puerto Rican and Latino social and cultural center, a vibrant community of different artistic practices from visual art to theatre and dance. The space is bathed in light from the massive windows covering one wall. I love being able to be in the middle of a buzzing neighborhood, but being able to only see the bright blue New York sky from my studio. I see the canvases I’m working on, switch on the radio through my old speakers, and make myself a Chemex coffee. With coffee in hand, I sit in my armchair and take in the scene: the studio, the sunlight, the steam rising from my cup. I think about the day ahead, what I want to create, what format to explore.
What’s on the agenda for today?
Continuing my current projects, brainstorming new exhibition ideas, and developing my solo practice, and duo artistic projects, where we work on culinary performances. Each project actually feeds the other, intertwining ideas and gestures.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Maomao in Bushwick, a Thai dive bar with incredible food. The owner thrifted everything in Thailand and brought it back, contributing to the genuine ambiance. I love that spot. On a more daily basis, I usually grab a chickpea samosa from Punjabi Deli on my way to the studio or a bagel from Russ & Daughters. I also love having dinner at Kafana, a Serbian restaurant: amazing salads, grilled meats, Serbian beers, and an incredible orange wine selection — perfect for sharing a meal with friends.
How about a little leisure or culture this weekend?
I recently went to Audubon Terrace in Upper Manhattan to see a few contemporary shows, and also visited the Hispanic Society Library where you can admire an impressive panorama by the Spanish painter Sorolla. The place is incredible, hardly talked about, and the exhibitions are free. The Art and Letters shows there are some of the best I’ve seen recently — a beautiful Renaissance building full of history, hosting contemporary proposals. And the neighborhood is great for grabbing Hispanic food.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
I just bought an apartment in Alsace, France, and I’m very happy about it.
What NYC store or service do you always recommend?
Coming Soon, Bonnie Slotnick (a wonderful vintage cookbook store just off the Bowery), Karma Bookstore (currently on hold but hopefully reopening soon), Soho Art Materials for oil painting, and Dandelion Wines in Greenpoint for a great bottle to take to Transmitter Park for the best sunset in the city.
Where are you donating your time or money?
As an artist, I consider my exhibitions and installations a form of cultural donation — they’re free to the public, which is important to me. I’m more about sharing than donating: I share my work and sometimes take on projects without pay, simply to create and offer an aesthetic experience.