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recipes_for_disaster [2009-02-06 18:15] – 195.188.51.205recipes_for_disaster [2009-03-02 04:14] (current) – 198.161.31.4
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 While not a propositional model for a viable large scale operation, the project maintains a functioning alternate freight system for groceries and other goods to travel internationally. Feral Trade supplies a drifting network of individuals (friends, colleagues, other artists, their family members and social contacts) and organisations (including former and prospective employers, sponsors, hosts and organisational peers). The challenge of supplying groceries to the art world in particular, has led to an interest in the Public Diet of cultural organisations: the proposition that it's the disassociation between content - beliefs, ideals, curated programmes of events - and infrastructure - context, economy, service utilities, the things you handle and systems you subscribe to - that has brought us to the current twin towers of economic & ecological collapse.  While not a propositional model for a viable large scale operation, the project maintains a functioning alternate freight system for groceries and other goods to travel internationally. Feral Trade supplies a drifting network of individuals (friends, colleagues, other artists, their family members and social contacts) and organisations (including former and prospective employers, sponsors, hosts and organisational peers). The challenge of supplying groceries to the art world in particular, has led to an interest in the Public Diet of cultural organisations: the proposition that it's the disassociation between content - beliefs, ideals, curated programmes of events - and infrastructure - context, economy, service utilities, the things you handle and systems you subscribe to - that has brought us to the current twin towers of economic & ecological collapse. 
 +
 +{{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3313/3220595976_5978d9bc6e_m.jpg}}
  
 == Taste == == Taste ==
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 ==  Persistence == ==  Persistence ==
  
-One of the issues the research raises is the value of persistence in the art world. Feral Trade has made a series of attempts to enter the food chain of other institutions as a vendor, with variable results. This supplier-style relationship, with its repeat cycle of orders, delivery and invoicing, breaks with the art world's natural currency of novelty. While event-based spectacles such as the one-off exhibition and service of Feral Trade coffee have been easy to negotiate, attempts at sustained engagement with the infrastructure have met with relative inertia (see http://www.feraltrade.org/cgi-bin/shipments/2shipping.pl?action=list_shipments&viewall=1&new_sort=sendloc&criterion=V%26A for a rare instance of success). +One of the issues the research raises is the value of persistence in the art world. Feral Trade has made repeated attempts to enter the food chain of other institutions as a vendor, with variable results. This supplier-style relationship, with its repeat cycle of orders, delivery and invoicing, breaks with the art world's natural currency of novelty. While event-based spectacles such as the one-off exhibition and service of Feral Trade coffee have been easy to negotiate, attempts at sustained engagement with the infrastructure have met with relative inertia (see http://www.feraltrade.org/cgi-bin/shipments/2shipping.pl?action=list_shipments&viewall=1&new_sort=sendloc&criterion=V%26A for a rare instance of success). 
  
 ==  THE RESEARCH == ==  THE RESEARCH ==
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 The often depleted environs encountered by the contemporary arts practitioner, nomadic in pursuit of its trade, include hotels, transportation and waiting rooms. As for other itinerant workers, nutrition is vital to maintain currency in a market of freelance employment, intensive hours and frequent travel.  The often depleted environs encountered by the contemporary arts practitioner, nomadic in pursuit of its trade, include hotels, transportation and waiting rooms. As for other itinerant workers, nutrition is vital to maintain currency in a market of freelance employment, intensive hours and frequent travel. 
  
-Experiment 1: Ricecookers from Iran+EXPERIMENT 1: Ricecookers from Iran
  
 In 2005, Berlin artist Natascha Sadr-Haghighian and I imported 25 electric ricecookers to UK and Germany from their factory source in Iran, and distributed them to a network of subscribers. Social and family connections helped negotiate the direct export from the Pars Khazar ricecooker factory. The import was designed to enlarge the options for basic cooked foods where self-catering is otherwise unavailable. In 2005, Berlin artist Natascha Sadr-Haghighian and I imported 25 electric ricecookers to UK and Germany from their factory source in Iran, and distributed them to a network of subscribers. Social and family connections helped negotiate the direct export from the Pars Khazar ricecooker factory. The import was designed to enlarge the options for basic cooked foods where self-catering is otherwise unavailable.
  
-{{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3372/3220614694_c00ccb09e2_m.jpg}}+{{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3372/3220614694_c00ccb09e2_m.jpg}} {{http://www.feraltrade.org/ricecooker/export/thumbs/sofia_bulgaria_01832_thumb.jpg}}
  
 Ricecookers can provide basic portable nutrition in a range of territories. For hospitality and sustenance you just add water, rice and electricity. A ricecooker works fine on the train - for example a sleeper compartment across Bulgaria - also at laptop and vacuum-cleaner sockets at other semi-public spaces such as airport lounges. To cook espresso just remove the inner pot and place espresso pot directly in the heating element. Ricecookers can provide basic portable nutrition in a range of territories. For hospitality and sustenance you just add water, rice and electricity. A ricecooker works fine on the train - for example a sleeper compartment across Bulgaria - also at laptop and vacuum-cleaner sockets at other semi-public spaces such as airport lounges. To cook espresso just remove the inner pot and place espresso pot directly in the heating element.
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 {{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3435/3219816515_5b2554432a_m.jpg}} {{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3358/3220673194_49004cc814_m.jpg}} {{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3352/3220676682_621d3a5e12_m.jpg}} {{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3435/3219816515_5b2554432a_m.jpg}} {{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3358/3220673194_49004cc814_m.jpg}} {{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3352/3220676682_621d3a5e12_m.jpg}}
  
-Experiment 2: Room Selfservice  +EXPERIMENT 2: Room Selfservice  
  
 The interfaces where artist and institution collide can show up the extremes of organised culture. Last winter I flew from a two month residency in Bangladesh direct to a one month placement at the Banff Centre, Canada.  The interfaces where artist and institution collide can show up the extremes of organised culture. Last winter I flew from a two month residency in Bangladesh direct to a one month placement at the Banff Centre, Canada. 
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 {{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3525/3220695932_7e42412d29_m.jpg}} {{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3452/3219845931_2440a20a6f_m.jpg}} {{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3077/3219847283_7138637a3e_m.jpg}} {{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3525/3220695932_7e42412d29_m.jpg}} {{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3452/3219845931_2440a20a6f_m.jpg}} {{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3077/3219847283_7138637a3e_m.jpg}}
  
-Experiment 3:  Institutional Trade  +{{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3365/3220700510_f2f5cf90da_m.jpg}} {{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3520/3220702414_891632ef16_m.jpg}} 
 + 
 +{{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3089/3219852171_ff22034191_m.jpg}} 
 + 
 +EXPERIMENT 3:  Institutional Trade  
  
 Cube-Cola, a cola manufacturing collaboration with Kayle Brandon, shows how a major beverage can be produced and distributed out of a small cinema. Using an open source recipe developed over four years and an accumulated store of equipment, ingredients and supplier relations, we have found ourselves to be world-leading open source cola developers. Cube-Cola has worldwide distribution in concentrate form via internet order, paypal, hand baggage and mail. External media attention (newspapers and blogs) keeps the project publicly active without any need for publicity or marketing - although sales at this scale only generate enough cash to cover ingredient and equipment costs. A batch of concencentrate taking approximately 2 hours to prepare will make up around 120 litres of cola. An advantage of the project is our own independence from the beverage mainstream - with a 6-month inventory of ingredients, even a carbonation plan - should other softdrink supply lines should fail.    Cube-Cola, a cola manufacturing collaboration with Kayle Brandon, shows how a major beverage can be produced and distributed out of a small cinema. Using an open source recipe developed over four years and an accumulated store of equipment, ingredients and supplier relations, we have found ourselves to be world-leading open source cola developers. Cube-Cola has worldwide distribution in concentrate form via internet order, paypal, hand baggage and mail. External media attention (newspapers and blogs) keeps the project publicly active without any need for publicity or marketing - although sales at this scale only generate enough cash to cover ingredient and equipment costs. A batch of concencentrate taking approximately 2 hours to prepare will make up around 120 litres of cola. An advantage of the project is our own independence from the beverage mainstream - with a 6-month inventory of ingredients, even a carbonation plan - should other softdrink supply lines should fail.   
 +
 +{{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3535/3220706840_44a2baaeae_m.jpg}} {{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3075/3220706986_6f38b7c2b4_m.jpg}}
    
 == Disaster  == == Disaster  ==
  
 The aesthetics of emergency and survival have more normally been monopolised by other interests: the military, outdoor adventure catalogues, NASA, or memories of WWII (hoarding flour, eggs, lard etc). The above techniques for alternate emergency provisioning have been rehearsed from position of luxury (IE. choice), although as training they could be prescient. The collapse of the Bristol flagship store of Fresh and Wild in September 2008 - a luxury foods supermarket in Bristol owned by the US giant Wholefoods, whose core values include creating wealth through profits & growth - signals a singular tremor in the fine food market.  The aesthetics of emergency and survival have more normally been monopolised by other interests: the military, outdoor adventure catalogues, NASA, or memories of WWII (hoarding flour, eggs, lard etc). The above techniques for alternate emergency provisioning have been rehearsed from position of luxury (IE. choice), although as training they could be prescient. The collapse of the Bristol flagship store of Fresh and Wild in September 2008 - a luxury foods supermarket in Bristol owned by the US giant Wholefoods, whose core values include creating wealth through profits & growth - signals a singular tremor in the fine food market. 
 +
 +{{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3449/3219857537_f11943d6fa_m.jpg}} {{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3511/3220712516_4b5d0f1965_m.jpg}} {{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3510/3220717662_3673b51345_m.jpg}} 
  
 In Fresh and Wild's absence, more inspiring suppliers in Bristol include the Womens Institute - a UK rebel network of highly organised cake and scone makers. And November 2008's Cube-Cola Producers' Party at the Cube brought its own network of local low-quantity provisioners (nettle beer, damson vodka, wild jams) out of the woodwork. Although it is interesting to note though that many of these home-manufactured, foraged, baked, brewed and crafted food suppliers - including Cube-Cola - cluster around the common mass-market commodity of refined sugar. In Fresh and Wild's absence, more inspiring suppliers in Bristol include the Womens Institute - a UK rebel network of highly organised cake and scone makers. And November 2008's Cube-Cola Producers' Party at the Cube brought its own network of local low-quantity provisioners (nettle beer, damson vodka, wild jams) out of the woodwork. Although it is interesting to note though that many of these home-manufactured, foraged, baked, brewed and crafted food suppliers - including Cube-Cola - cluster around the common mass-market commodity of refined sugar.
  
-Experiment 4: Outside Catering: sustaining culture without kitchens or buildings. +{{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3401/3220718052_3d6c135c4e_m.jpg}} {{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3340/3220707316_6b6bdd092b_m.jpg}}
  
-Nomadic Picnic. +EXPERIMENT 4: Outside Catering: sustaining culture without kitchens or buildings.  
 + 
 +{{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3384/3220720538_8f58bdba7f_m.jpg}} {{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3355/3219872183_2c164efa08_m.jpg}} {{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3514/3220726006_0c75446fd6_m.jpg}}
  
 Photos show Castle Park cherry and cheese pierogis supplied for the Cube Outdoors Riverxing Exercise (Bristol); and unlicensed sandal espresso stand at a northern England food fair (Gateshead). Photos show Castle Park cherry and cheese pierogis supplied for the Cube Outdoors Riverxing Exercise (Bristol); and unlicensed sandal espresso stand at a northern England food fair (Gateshead).
 +
 +{{http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3386/3219877553_1a87a50a57_m.jpg}}
  
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