Since 2020, artist Samah Hijawi has been enga­ged in pro­jects that focus on the nar­ra­ti­ve poten­ti­al of food. For three years, she researched the his­to­ry, cul­tu­re and prac­ti­ces sur­roun­ding food pre­pa­ra­ti­on resul­ting in her din­ner per­for­man­ce Kitchen.Table. For this, she works with women coo­king in Brussels com­mu­ni­ty kit­chens and explo­res ways to cap­tu­re the many memo­ries asso­ci­a­ted with one type of food.

For a new pha­se in her research, she now focu­ses on how reci­pes are con­nec­ted to the body and often to impor­tant moments in life. What dis­hes are pre­pa­red in dif­fe­rent cul­tu­res during peri­ods of mourning, or for cele­bra­ting a new year, for example?

As part of Kunstenfestivaldesarts’ Free School, Hijawi is orga­ni­s­ing six stand-alo­ne work­shops, each las­ting two days and each explo­ring one life moment. Using this moment as a star­ting point, par­ti­ci­pants will sha­re and docu­ment their reci­pes and rela­ted sto­ries. The aim is to bring out the know­led­ge that each of us pos­ses­ses — calling fami­ly mem­bers for reci­pe details if neces­sa­ry — and exchan­ge memo­ries about the mea­ning of food. On the second day, par­ti­ci­pants cook together and sha­re the pre­pa­red dis­hes with others. Six gatherings for six cru­ci­al moments in life.

* Recipes for nur­sing parents
* Recipes to cele­bra­te a new year
* Recipes that remind you of some­o­ne far away
* Recipes to cele­bra­te a wed­ding
* Recipes for the mourning peri­od
* Aphrodisiac recipes

All six work­shops are com­ple­te­ly sold out, but you can still sign up for tic­ket alerts via KFDA’s web­si­te if pla­ces beco­me available.

On the 26th of May at 18:00, you can meet Samah at the artist talk — free entran­ce, no regi­stra­ti­on required. 

© Samah Hijawi