THEY say if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Or better yet, just take the kitchen outside.
This Sunday, residents of Wandsworth and Putney will have the chance to partake in Street Kitchen, a food art installation co-created by Australian Joseph O’Farrell to celebrate “all things kitchen.”
Kicking off at 1pm, foodies of Deodar Street, near Putney Bridge, will share their own kitchen experience on the street, including what their kitchen means to them, what fond memories they have, what they like to cook, as well as any funny stories or favourite ingredients.
“This event gives the residents of the street and the surrounding community a platform to share stories, experiences and recipes in a creative way,” explains O’Farrell.
“We have integrated these stories into a full street installation. To facilitate someone else’s story is a really fun and beautiful position to be in.”
Taking place on the concluding day of the Wandsworth Arts Festival, O’Farrell came up with idea for the event while collaborating with his friend and fellow performance artist, Shamira Turner.
The street is set to be lined with banners holding kitchen related quotes and recipe hints, while workshops and treasure hunts should keep the kids occupied.
Overall, O’Farrell says he looks forward to seeing people really reflect on their own “kitchen moment” and the delights of sharing recipes and tips with friends and strangers.
Following Street Kitchen, O’Farrell will be take on the post of Artist in Residence for Islington, working with young artists aged 7-12 for a project in the A Million Minutes project.
With plans to head back to Australia in September to work with his theatre company The Suitcase Royale, O’Farrell claims he first came to the UK because of love and Hugh Grant movies.
“I love it here, there are a lot of expats in London and it feels like half of the Melbourne arts community will be here over the summer,” he says. “I really like football and pies too which helps.”
Speaking further on his decision to develop a kitchen art showcase for the foodies of Wandsworth, he says the idea came from him sharing a strange recipe with a friend for “steak paste.”
“Although to an outsider this may sound like an absurd condiment… it is delicious!”
We’ll take your word for it, mate.
Street Kitchen is part of Wandsworth Arts Festival on 3-19 May. See wandsworthartsfestival.com.