By Katie Isham.
Something’s cooking at the John Hansard Gallery (JHG) in the heart of Southampton city centre. The ideas have been marinated, the ingredients have been prepped and now the timer is on.
JHG is offering up a platter of food themed treats for its Community Takeover exhibition this summer.
The gallery usually sets a place for the great and good of the art world, but it’s now a messy, colourful hotpot of Southampton’s stories, memories and artistic garnish.
Walk into the main gallery and you’ll find a long banquet table set and awaiting your presence. Table cloths of neon delicacies created by artists of Sholing Infants School and Upper Shirley High are peppered with pottery plates and cups created by artists from Hounsdown School and The Prince’s Trust. The gallery has already taken the artistic process to these points within the community and handed the spatula to artists boiling over with inspiration.
And the finished exhibition is definitely not that: it’s by no means finished. This is not an art exhibition to gaze at in pious wonder.
Roll up your sleeves and get involved in the cooking process. The Community Takeover is just that; it invites everyone who visits to be part of this exhibition. There are activities to engage in throughout the gallery: add memories to the art or food timelines; make a recycled cardboard shop front; suggest food points important to you across the city; design a piece of food packaging; add a recipe to the box of index cards; join in the kitchen disco.
And that’s just what’s on offer on a standard day.
Throughout the Takeover there are special events and workshops. Join local artist Vanessa Rolf this Saturday 10th August 11am – 1pm to explore the traditional folktale Stone Soup and create a giant printed soup bowl!
On Wednesday 22nd August, the table will be set with a smorgasbord of board games from Board in the City. There is something for every palate at the Community Takeover.
Grab your shopping trolley and get down to JHG between now and September 7th to add a little flavouring to your plate.
For more information, visit the website.
- Map designed by Tim Bird. Photo by Reece Straw.
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