PORTO APERTA
The initial concept of Porto Aperta came to mind while researching the soviet union's relationship to food, hospitality, and well-being in social gatherings. Through my research, I discovered the practice of commoning and unlearning in art institutes like "Casco."
While investigating how to develop a communal dinner hub, I became inspired by the kitchen factory (Russian: Фабрика-кухня) developed during the 1920s in the Soviet Union. The kitchen factory offered set menus for citizens for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It focused on communal hospitality—the children's book "A Cook for a Whole City" explains how this concept worked, acting as one of my key sources of inspiration.
Understanding that I wanted to develop a communal hospitality experience, I asked myself what this project's purpose was.
While working with a local fruit and Veg supplier in Dublins, Smithfield markets, I discovered many things corrupt about the industry influenced by big retail names. To narrow down my message within the medium I chose, I aimed to expose the harsh reality of Almeria Spain's fruit and veg industry and its impact on independent wholesalers.
Porto aperta's research saw me set out to eat with strangers and delve deep into the experience of being the guest. I learned from refugees from West and North Africa, who, in the case of Almeria, Spain, are most affected by the industry. I learned first-hand how they cooked meals for one another, their relationship with food, and the harrowing stories of their search for a better life. While simultaneously exposing myself to the practice of unlearning the coloniality of cuisine.
The platform of Porto Aperta took shape as a political device used to tell and detail the reality of life for a refugee by allowing us to step into their world through taste as a way of inspiring actions of unlearning and conscious awareness of the origins of our food.
Each day at set times, I welcomed the public to come and dine on a two-dish set menu, which detailed my research into the colonialism of our veg industry and the contemporary exploitation of those seeking better opportunities in Europe while echoing the concept of the factory kitchen in the medium.
Students and the public eat for free
MANIFESTO
Ingredients
1 tbsp of political ideology.
1 tbsp of random acts of hospitality.
1 tbsp of primary research.
400g of traveling abroad to a country focused on in your research
400g of cooking
Add salt to taste
Directions
First, find an ingredient that excites you. (For this recipe I have chosen the tomato)
Accept random acts of hospitality. (For this recipe I went in search of immigrants and residents of Ireland who use the tomato in extraordinary ways)
Develop a political ideology.
Finely chop the ingredients to reveal the hidden reality of its production. (Bonded labor)
Add finely chopped ingredients to a large pot on medium heat, add political ideology, random acts of hospitality, and primary research. Cook until it develops a bitter taste.
While this is cooking travel abroad to a country focused on in your research ( for this recipe I found myself traveling to Napoli, Italy to learn Napoli cuisine in the restaurant Trattoria Medina)
While arriving home combine the cooking skills you’ve learned from your job as a trainee chef, random acts of hospitality, and your chosen country to travel to.
Add 500g of each ingredient and stew until you have a project that tells the history and contemporary practice around your chosen ingredient.
This dish often results in a bitter palate resulting from reality, so add salt to taste.
Serve as a pop-up restaurant in your chosen location.
BOX’S OF PRODUCE FROM MY TIME SPENT IN THE FRUIT AND VEG WHOLESALERS
COOK BOOK AS A RESEARCH DOCUMENT
RICE AND GRAVY
I chose the old atrium in NCAD, which felt neglected. This open, warm, bright space was ideal for a public kitchen and communal gathering. A large portion of the project was focused on refurbishing this space, working with the cleaners of NCAD and the handyman to ensure the space was brought back up to a good standard.
Following on from the project, this radical approach of claiming an exhibition space that saw me figuratively become a squatter of the location for the month leading into the degree show reflected not only the current crisis surrounding non-commercial space in Dublin city but also the rejecting the expected norms of my degree show to present my artwork in a white wall space. The decision resulted in me unlearning the expected nature of my practice. Instead of having a stand-alone piece of art in a traditional setting, I used my practice to bring unexpected strangers together.
My artwork was displayed around the room, on the tables, and in the food. It was ephemeral but accessible to all who might not have the trained eye to view fine art.
