Jon Gray of Ghetto Gastro Selects | Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Jon Gray of Ghetto Gastro Selects is the 19th installation in the exhibition series that invites designers, artists, architects, and public figures to explore and interpret Cooper Hewitt’s collection of more than 215,000 objects. Cofounder of the creative collective and cooking advocacy group Ghetto Gastro, Jon Gray works at the intersection of food, culture, and the Bronx experience. Celebrated for his collaborative spirit, Gray extends his creative vision to projects ranging from product design and fashion to architecture and immersive culinary experiences.

Gray tells an Afrofuturist fictional narrative through chosen works from the collection and original drawings created by artist Oasa DuVerney. The exhibition brings to life the power of objects, endurance of their stories, and the fragility of the natural world. We learn that in 2022, a series of political, social, racial, and class revolutions have set the stage for a collapse of global power structures. A massive tsunami leaves the land of Manhattan and much of the United States submerged underwater. In the midst of chaos on the world power stage, the nations of the African continent flourish without foreign intervention and the African Assembly is founded. Over the next 40 years, the African Assembly works to repatriate cultural artifacts from the continent and fund exploratory recovery missions. Set in the year 2077, visitors will enter the lab of the young explorer àlá, one of the most revered recovery experts, who has built their own private collection of historical objects. On view will be more than 40 of àlá’s most treasured pieces, which are prized for the creative ingenuity of makers and designers from the distant past.

Highlights

Drawings by Oasa DuVerney.

A black ink outline drawing with shaded grey washes on off-white paper depicting the early 20th century, neo-Georgian style, sprawling mansion that houses the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, viewed from below as it is almost entirely submerged in turbulent, surging waves, and engulfed by dark, storm clouds. — Drawing, “Cooper Hewitt,” 2020; Oasa DuVerney; Ink on paper; 10 x 7 in.; Courtesy of the artist.

A black ink outline drawing with shaded grey washes of the top half of a medium skin-toned person smoking a pipe, a flipped-up mask resting horizontally on their head. — RITUALS ARE POWER “Preparing for each mission requires the right frame of mind and the right tools. I surround myself in ancestral cloth, sit comfortably, and drink tea. I remove my pipe from its case, pack it with omi-simi herb, and give thanks for this odd plant’s gift that provides me the power to breathe underwater.” Drawing, “álà Lighting Up,” 2020; Oasa DuVerney; Ink on paper; 10 x 9 in.; Courtesy of the artist.

A black ink line drawing with shaded grey washes on off white paper depicting a robed and masked, dark-skinned figure standing astride a jet ski, speeding through turbulent waves, with a smaller figure, also on a jet ski, in the background. The figures are set against a backdrop of two buildings, the Yankee stadium and a high-rise multi-unit, and a pale, still sky. — EVERY MISSION IS A JOURNEY “Draped in my Japanese kimono, I take my usual kit with me: a spearhead, just in case I need to defend myself; my camera, for documenting the journey; the odd glasses I found that help me spot locations for exploration from afar; and my mask. My contact at the African Assembly told me it was worn once by the Dogon people of Mali. I’m grateful for this connection to the past—it keeps me focused on my purpose.” Drawing, “On a Mission,” 2020; Oasa DuVerney; Ink on paper; 10 x 13 in.; Courtesy of the artist.

A black ink outline drawing with shaded grey washes depicting a standing caped figure with their left index finger pressing on a piece of paper at a desk. — HISTORICAL RECORDS ARE REFUGE “My study space is well-appointed and filled with the random things I’ve collected over time. Every mission reveals a new layer of history—some more familiar than others. It’s here, surrounded by these items, that I analyze each trip’s findings. Each objects has its own story. Some of them feel like they contain so much meaning that they live and breathe the same way I do.” Drawing, “X Marks the Spot,” 2020; Oasa DuVerney; Ink on paper; 9 x 10 in.; Courtesy of the artist.

A black ink line drawing with washes of dark grey on off white paper depicting what appears to be a scene of people viewing an art exhibition. On the right a dark-skinned figure sits facing the viewer on a round-backed chair, to the figure's left is a blackamoor sculpture of an ornately dressed, very dark-skinned figure. To its left and behind is an array of figures, rendered in dark grey shadow, viewing various artifacts around the room, including a sculpture of a boat filled with figures, an ornate hanging tapestry and a radio blasting sound represented with jagged lines. — GATHERING IS GLORY “Some objects I’ve kept for their aesthetic of functional purpose, and not necessarily their cultural significance. Filling this space with music makes our gatherings come alive. The sound system is Italian, I believe. It wasn’t too difficult to repair. One of my favorite books documents these lands before the deluge. It’s remarkable to think there was an entire city, millions of people, living their lives where I now adventure.” Drawing, “Back at the Headquarters,” 2020; Oasa DuVerney; Ink on paper; 12 x 8.75 in.; Courtesy of the artist.

A black ink line drawing with washes of grey on off-white paper depicting a large hand emerging from a sea of waves holding a boat filled with two rows of cartoon-like, dark skinned figures, with a central figure at the front. — RECOVERY IS RESTORATION “Recovering the Egyptian Boat of the Dead was perilous but worthwhile—a vital part of this life is understanding how our ancestors viewed what comes after crossing the abyss.” Drawing, “Mission Accomplished,” 2020; Oasa DuVerney; Ink on paper; 12 x 8.75 in.; Courtesy of the artist.

A black ink outline drawing with shaded grey washes of a masked person reaching forward for a small model depicting people on a boat in the foreground. — RECOVERY IS RESTORATION “Recovering the Egyptian Boat of the Dead was perilous but worthwhile—a vital part of this life is understanding how our ancestors viewed what comes after crossing the abyss.” Drawing, “The Grab,” 2020; Oasa DuVerney; Ink on paper; 9 x 9 in.; Courtesy of the artist.

About JOn Gray

Jon Gray, cofounder of Ghetto Gastro. Photo by Leilani Foster.

Jon Gray is interesting because he is interested. His curiosity has taken him around the globe and has had him seated across the table from world-renowned thinkers, artists, and chefs, but he’s most passionate about home. A co-founder of the Bronx-based collective Ghetto Gastro, he’s building his own proverbial table, to which he would like to invite the world. Founded in 2012, Ghetto Gastro honors the block to block shifts and overlap in international cuisine and culture that happens in his borough. The collective is committed to feeding, inspiring, and growing young entrepreneurs in the Bronx. Conversations about inclusion, race, and economic empowerment are explored through food, as the group occupies the crossroads of design, music, film, visual art, and cuisine.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This exhibition was guest curated by Gray and organized for Cooper Hewitt by Associate Curator of Latino Design Christina De León, with curatorial fellow Carolyn Herrera-Perez.

Story by José Mejia. Art by Oasa DuVerney.

Exhibition design by Snøhetta. Graphic design by Kelly Sung.

Supporters

Jon Gray of Ghetto Gastro Selects is made possible by Crystal and Chris Sacca and the Marks Family Foundation Endowment Fund.