It was indeed an honor and pleasure to open our door and walls to Artist and World Citizen, Hawa Diallo on December 27 at the Local. She was also the inspiration for a new flavor, Generous World. Writer, Crescent Dragonwagon has summed up Hawa’s history and connection to ice cream in the flowing…
Generous World: A Bespoke Ice Cream, of Vanilla, Chocolate Chunks, Banana, and Peanuts
in Honor of HAWA DIALLO, Artist and World Citizen
Master CreamiereRon Cunningham is delighted to present a new ice cream flavor in honor of Hawa Diallo.
Diallo’s first exhibition will open at at Brooklyn Bell’s “The Local” on December 27, 2014, showcasing more than 40 pieces: paintings, fabric arts, bas relief carved and painted art, collage, in media including colored pencil, conventional oils and acrylic, fabric dye and resist-dye, found objects, markers, and homemade and traditional vegetable and mineral pastes, fixatives, and paints.
The ingredients of Diallo’s life and culture are as rich and varied as the mediums in which she works. Born in Mauritania, with roots in Guinea, Diallo survived a civil war to spend years in a Senegalese refugee camp before making her way to the United States. She’s Fulani — a peaceful, pastoral tribe traditionally known for its skill in dairying… hence, the site of an ice creamery was a good fit.
How on earth do you reflect such a vast heritage in a flavor of ice cream?
“I was down for the idea immediately,” says Ron. “I thought first of peanut butter, because it is such a part of West Africa. I researched, of course, but I wasn’t sure what Hawa would like. But then Kati —“ (Ron’s wife and partner at Brooklyn Bell) “talked with Hawa and they came up with more ideas. At the end, I was, ‘Yes! This is it!’ “
Hawa’s family grew bananas — “not to sell, just for the family” — and chocolate was a special treat for the children, “for when we have money.” Though Hawa grew up eating milk, sour cream, fresh cheese, she did not truly discover ice cream until her life in the United States began.
“Now I love it, “ she says. “And I love this ice cream.”