art_in_the_kitchen [the libarynth]

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Sinds 2011 FoAM Brussels in collaboration with and supported by MUS-E Belgium started a long term project under the theme of Art in the Kitchen (Kunst in de Keuken). Art in the Kitchen is an Art-in-School programme, where professional artists work around the topic of cooking, kitchen and food in connection to art and science. The habits of eating, the culture of food, the similarities and differences depending on cultural backgrounds are in the centre of attention. The kitchen and kitchen related objects and ingredients becomes a starting point for children to operate in a creative way, get to know each other and work together towards a delicious result. The multiple ways of collaboratig, looking and listening at each others works opens different ways to perceive surroundings trough critical thinking yet affectionate and playful process.

The aim of the workshops is to raise awareness about food culture, taste the unexpected, look beyond the understandable and play with what you can find in the kitchen, fridge or vegetable lot of your garden. Combining various artistic practices it’s an involving way to explore creative possibilities, challenge your self and create eye satisfying works. Using food as an inspiration these workshops are a great way to discover new experiences.

At the moment Art in the Kitchen trajectory counts its seventh edition and it is led by FoAM artist Rasa Alksnyte.

On this page you will find a collection of activities, methods and examples of the various workshops of Art in the Kitchen.

Get to know each other

As an outsider coming into the classroom mostly in the middle of the school year i find important to have a number of methods and exercises to “break the ice” and get to know the kids.

I have a photographic memory therefor it is important to me to see the names written somewhere. As a task i ask children to make a drawing or a collage of their favourite food on a piece of paper or paper plate using left overs from the candy wrappings. When they are done i photograph each of them in the way i could see the face and artwork with written name on it. Later at home i can go trough the pictures and memorise names by heart. At the end of trajectory i give these portraits to the kids. It is a great way to initiate a reflection about the whole process and activities done.

Another way to get to know each other is to encourage children to associate them selfs with an object, animal or weather description. We sit in the circle and each of us has to introduce our selfs by saying name, talents and as what animal, veg or fruit you feel like today.

I try to ask these questions at the beginning of each session every time introducing a new task. Such as “as what favourite dish you feel like today and what noice would it make if it would be alive” or “can you rime your feelings with something related to food? (ik ben blij als een spiegel ei). This exercise takes only a few minutes but it give me a sufficient information about the energy and general mood of every child.

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