RitschArt

In this book, the now little-known dish Ritschert serves as the starting point for a journey through the historical events of the 20th century. This includes the end of the First World War and the monarchy in 1918, the Anschluss (annexation) to Hitler Germany in 1938 and the student protests and civil movements in 1968. Ritschert, a stew containing barley porridge with meat and beans, peas or lentils, symbolises the poverty caused by the historical events in a time of war and turmoil. The very filling dish was considered as food for the poor and blue-collar population in the 50s and 60s of the 20th century. This plain stew was often eaten out of one shared pot, thus strengthening the sense of community, and ultimately tastes better than its current reputation as a poor man's food would suggest. For the first time, five visual artists from Austria, Italy and Croatia approached the subject of this dish. Barbara Höller, Gerlinde Thuma, Lea Titz, Davide Skerlj and Josip Zanki created designs that were then animated and included into their video work. Based on these works, Dagmar Probst writes about the art-historical significance of food.