the walker's ~@@~ 另一個窩: 11月 2013

2013年11月25日星期一

Art Buffet in Three Lamps 三盞燈的藝術食堂

Art Buffet in Three Lamps

Art Buffet in Three Lamps is a community art project in Macau using patchwrok as a medium to encourage people in that community participating in art creation.

The idea of making patchwork of dishes was first initiated by Pila, a brillant Indonesian artist friend. We had a joint exhibition focus on food at Taipei Artist Village in 2008 and she proposed we collaborated on the workshop of making patchwork as dishes. We had known each other from a residency together in Western Australia the year before and both were fond of many similar issues and things, such as food, plants, environmental concerns and needlework. She helped me with a videotaped interview with a few Australian old ladies who made wonderful patchworks and 2 traditional brick builders in the same community.

When I was invited to organize a workshop for community people in Macau by the Cultural Affairs Burreau, I thought about how to find an easiest method for people who had no art-making experience to get start. So, making patchwork as food becomes a best choice. My consideration is food comes from everyday life, so it's not a strange thing to the participants, the same as fabric, that can dispel the fear and irrelevance of art making with these people. However, combining the two will result in a new sense of feelings that enhances the appreciation of art and brings about a sense of accomplishment and self-confidence.

The project was overwhelmingly welcomed, partly due to the thoughtfulness of my project partner and collaborator – Point View Art Association, and their considerate helpers. Participants of the workshop all come from the neighborhood of Three Lamps, an old district famous for its gourmet cuisine as well as a fabric market street. My project partner made many trips of interviewing with the resturants there, documenting the history and stories of these resturants. Many of the owners were migrants from Southeast Asian countries. They brought in colorful food cultures.

We set up 3 workshops, working with all ages. The outcome was great. There are 8 tables of gorgeous food, 7 pieces of dishes displayed at resturants, and one specially designed for the Association of Beneficial and Mutual Assistance at Moradores of Bairto O Tai. The participants include parents and children, grandmas and young people. Their works show a glimpse into the local flavour and taste.

Many of them said this is the first time they put hands on patchwork, but they enjoy it very much and feel proud of their own work. Some kids even developed interests and asked for more scraps of fabric to make new works at home.

The openning night was very touching too. Besides the usual offical speeches, participants were encouraged to stand on stage and share their artistic experience. Many old ladies on wheelchair were gathering around our tables, examining the works more closely. Those tables then were moved to the exhibition site of Travessa de Martinho Montenegro. The show will be on until Dec 8.