We are all food.
Plants consume sunlight and rain and carbon-dioxide, we in turn consume plants and the oxygen they produce, and we all give our bodies back to becoming earth which gives birth to the food we eat once more.
In the ancient practice of Ayurveda, digestion of food plays a critical role in the health of the body and mind. Inherent in the practice is a deep connection to natural cycles, and sustainable systems of consumption. Sitting on the floor, cross legged is now known to be beneficial for health, and eating with the hands provides a critical feedback loop for the body to kick start the digestion of food we eat. We eat with all our senses, sight, smell, sound, touch, taste.
Prior to eating I led a mudra meditation and connected to the earth element, responsible for our digestive system. We sat on the floor and ate with our hands to re-connect with this ancient nature-based practice, still in use by many rural communities across the world. I chose to invite nine people as I had nine grains in the mixture of rice and lentils created during my previous 'freewheel' performance, as well as nine steel dishes and bowls from a previous 'Sorting Circle' event. Nine has special significance in the Hindu mythology which I grew up with. I took this nine as being the nine planets (navgraha) of our solar system.
During my residency NAE after discussions, advice and support from Dave the NAE chef, I was given use of the kitchen and cafe for one evening. I had been inspired by the idea of communal cooking and eating by the Community Lunch club held by the Punjabi Elders in the building next to NAE, It reminded me of visiting the Golden Temple in India and experiencing the mass communal eating and cooking called 'langar', a practice that is replicated in Gurudwaras around the world. As my residency at the New Art Exchange drew to a close, summer was exploding into autumn, with harvests being gathered from the growing spaces I had been connecting with. I wanted to invite growers I had connected with to bring their garden grown fruit, veg and herbs to the NAE space that had hosted me, to cook and eat together, sharing in a social but intimate space.
Each grower brought with them produce from their green spaces, and together we shared recipes for what could be made and then tasked ourselves with cooking them. Everyone was supporting and learning at the same time and we all came away feeling fulfilled and nourished from the food and the experience of cooking and eating together in an environment conducive to good digestion, i.e. a peaceful and positive space with an acknowledgement and gratitude for all the organisms that collectively enable us to eat food, both human and non-human.
For the meal I had nine stainless steel dishes and bowls that were using in a previous event 'Sorting Circle' so I decided these would be used again for the meal. I used the mixed grains including rice and lentil from the 'freewheel' performance to create a new dish 'navratan' (nine jewels) to reflect the colour and diversity of the food we had harvested. The grains were cleaned, washed and soaked for several hours, then cooked as a 'Khichri' (mixed rice and lentils in one pot). I sourced flour from the local Green's Windmill, a historical working windmill which grinds and sells local flour (the wheat, spelt and rye grown at nearby Hungary Lane biodynamic farm), and i used the wheat and spelt flour to create a new version of 'Puri' a deep fried flat bread. Other ingredients such as oil, salt, sugar and spices and tea were sourced from Roots Natural Foods a local health food store. Re-usable cotton napkins were used and sourced from Tiger community cafe in the city centre which supports local communities through creating sustainable products.
the images below were kindly photographed by Cindy Sissokho of New Art Exchange.
Plants consume sunlight and rain and carbon-dioxide, we in turn consume plants and the oxygen they produce, and we all give our bodies back to becoming earth which gives birth to the food we eat once more.
In the ancient practice of Ayurveda, digestion of food plays a critical role in the health of the body and mind. Inherent in the practice is a deep connection to natural cycles, and sustainable systems of consumption. Sitting on the floor, cross legged is now known to be beneficial for health, and eating with the hands provides a critical feedback loop for the body to kick start the digestion of food we eat. We eat with all our senses, sight, smell, sound, touch, taste.
Prior to eating I led a mudra meditation and connected to the earth element, responsible for our digestive system. We sat on the floor and ate with our hands to re-connect with this ancient nature-based practice, still in use by many rural communities across the world. I chose to invite nine people as I had nine grains in the mixture of rice and lentils created during my previous 'freewheel' performance, as well as nine steel dishes and bowls from a previous 'Sorting Circle' event. Nine has special significance in the Hindu mythology which I grew up with. I took this nine as being the nine planets (navgraha) of our solar system.
During my residency NAE after discussions, advice and support from Dave the NAE chef, I was given use of the kitchen and cafe for one evening. I had been inspired by the idea of communal cooking and eating by the Community Lunch club held by the Punjabi Elders in the building next to NAE, It reminded me of visiting the Golden Temple in India and experiencing the mass communal eating and cooking called 'langar', a practice that is replicated in Gurudwaras around the world. As my residency at the New Art Exchange drew to a close, summer was exploding into autumn, with harvests being gathered from the growing spaces I had been connecting with. I wanted to invite growers I had connected with to bring their garden grown fruit, veg and herbs to the NAE space that had hosted me, to cook and eat together, sharing in a social but intimate space.
Each grower brought with them produce from their green spaces, and together we shared recipes for what could be made and then tasked ourselves with cooking them. Everyone was supporting and learning at the same time and we all came away feeling fulfilled and nourished from the food and the experience of cooking and eating together in an environment conducive to good digestion, i.e. a peaceful and positive space with an acknowledgement and gratitude for all the organisms that collectively enable us to eat food, both human and non-human.
For the meal I had nine stainless steel dishes and bowls that were using in a previous event 'Sorting Circle' so I decided these would be used again for the meal. I used the mixed grains including rice and lentil from the 'freewheel' performance to create a new dish 'navratan' (nine jewels) to reflect the colour and diversity of the food we had harvested. The grains were cleaned, washed and soaked for several hours, then cooked as a 'Khichri' (mixed rice and lentils in one pot). I sourced flour from the local Green's Windmill, a historical working windmill which grinds and sells local flour (the wheat, spelt and rye grown at nearby Hungary Lane biodynamic farm), and i used the wheat and spelt flour to create a new version of 'Puri' a deep fried flat bread. Other ingredients such as oil, salt, sugar and spices and tea were sourced from Roots Natural Foods a local health food store. Re-usable cotton napkins were used and sourced from Tiger community cafe in the city centre which supports local communities through creating sustainable products.
the images below were kindly photographed by Cindy Sissokho of New Art Exchange.