ESPACE DE LA POSSIBILITÉ
2021 - ongoing
A series of participatory performances indoor or in the public space exploring concepts of togetherness, community making and commoning.
Everything starts at the dinner table. The group then engages in a collective preparation of a shared meal, recipes and ingredients provided by the artist. These moments of sharing arouse the curiosity of passers-by, inviting spontaneous interaction that can last a minute or an hour.
When indoor, each participant is invited to bring one ingredient of their choice. Sitting around the table, we get to know each other through the ingredients we brought and what they mean to us. The recipe is a common creative act that combines different culinary traditions in new, unforeseeable ways.
The kitchen is a playfield that allows us to grow in our capacity to work collaboratively. It is a space to address cultural differences and similarities, insecurities, values and emotions. While most of us have learnt to cook with some form of verticality – there is a recipe to follow, or a separation between chef and sous chef – this cooking space strives to create room for learning and sharing, to give everyone the opportunity to get out of their comfort zone while feeling safe.
During the whole process, meta cards are available to be drawn by the participants. They offer questions and reflections on group dynamics, and can support participants in growing their awareness of their role in the group, while being engaged in the cooking process.
The cards support us in maintaining an open dialogue throughout the whole process, addressing our uncertainties and the weight that each person's background is bringing to the collective effort.
(The card design is a work in progress, please bear with me).
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED WITH THE GROUP AND WHAT CAN YOU JUST DO? PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENT FEELINGS ABOUT THIS.
WHAT CONSTITUTES A DECISION?
NAMING ASYMMETRIES, EVEN WHEN THEY ARE ACCEPTED, IS A GOOD PRACTICE, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY CAN HIDE POWER DYNAMICS, FOR EXAMPLE
THE LACK OF SHARED KNOWLEDGE OR CONTACTS.
IS ANYONE NECESSARY? WHY? FOR A SPECIFIC PROJECT OR FOR THE FUNCTIONING OF THE GROUP?
SOME PEOPLE MIGHT FEEL THAT THEY DO TOO MUCH AND NEED TO IMPROVE TO SET THEIR BOUNDARIES, OTHERS MIGHT FEEL THAT THEY ARE NOT KNOWLEDGEABLE ENOUGH TO BECOME MORE PROACTIVE. THIS TOPIC ALSO RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW ENGAGED WE WISH TO BE IN THE GROUP.
WITHIN THE GROUP, DOES EVERYONE TAKE ON THE SAME WORKLOAD AND RESPONSIBILITY?
SAYING "EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO SPEAK UP/PROPOSE AN ACTIVITY" IS OFTEN NOT ENOUGH TO CREATE INCLUSION. EACH GROUP MIGHT WANT TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN PROTOCOLS FOR PROACTIVE INCLUSION.
WHAT TOOLS TO MAKE EVERYONE FEEL INCLUDED?
FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IT'S DIFFICULT TO SET THEIR OWN BOUNDARIES, SO THEY END UP TAKING WAY TOO MUCH ON. IT CAN BE EXTRA DIFFICULT TO LET GO IF YOU HAVE THE FEELING THAT THINGS WON'T GET DONE IF YOU DON'T DO THEM. IS IS REALLY THE CASE?
DOES THIS RESONATE WITH YOU?
I TAKE TOO MUCH RESPONSIBILITIES AND I FEEL OVERLOADED
GO FOR IT! MOST PEOPLE WON'T ASK FOR HELP (CFR DIFFICULTY IN SETTING BOUNDARIES), SO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HINDERING YOU. PERHAPS YOU LACK KNOWLEDGE? IT'S FAIR TO ASK OTHER MEMBERS TO TEACH YOU THINGS! AND TAKING A MORE ACTIVE ROLE WILL ALSO INCREASE YOUR SENSE OF BELONGING.
I'D LIKE TO BE MORE PROACTIVE WITHIN THE GROUP BUT I FEEL INSECURE SO I WAIT FOR PEOPLE TO ASK ME TO DO STUFF