Food for All

with Olivia Brazier, Jayne Dickinson, Lucy Duke, Karen Glover,  Claire Graves, Catherine Hill, Elaine Hunt, Henrietta MacPhee, Kate McDonnell, Qing Pud, Emilia Symis, Shahar Tuchner, Emily Vanns, Clicky White, Michelle Yun-jeong Choi, Madina Zholdybekova ​

​​Wednesday 26 October 2022 – Tuesday 28 February 2023

During Autumn 2022 into Christmas and beyond Kingshill House presented an exhibition exploring the importance of food and what a huge inspiration the subject has been through the history of Art and Craft. Banquets, fruit baskets, and decadent foods have cropped up throughout art history, and many traditional crafts are invented for the purpose of supporting our eating habits. Ceramics for pie dishes and woven baskets for fruit are all studies that organically cross over from craft to art. Food is an important part of culture and traditional cuisine is passed down from one generation to the next. Food tells us who we are, and where we've come from. It is what defines us, builds, and creates happy memories. It can also stick in our mind if we don't enjoy something or have a terrible reaction to a dish.

Foodways as a discipline examines the role of food and food-related behaviour in cultural groups. The exhibition not only displayed artworks by artists working in oil on canvas, ceramics, watercolours, sculpture, installation, collage, embroidery, photography and video but we also showed a selection of public submissions in response to the question; “Do you have a fond food memory you’d love to show?” Food and cooking are a cultural expression, this exhibition looks to show how knowledge is transferred within and varies between different societies. Photos of birthdays, handwritten recipes passed down, and personal stories of a fond food memories were shown in the Purnell room, capturing moments that we can all relate to.

Each artist in Food for All was related by our desire and human need for food. Whether that is Kate McDonnell’s hanging, threaded sculpture ‘Living By Bread Alone' made from dough depicting black Mala Beads traditionally used for spiritual and mindfulness practice, or Emily Vanns vibrant by restless domestic spaces that discuss the frame and viewers perspective of seeing a left meal.

Shared currency is used with Henrietta MacPhee and Michelle Yun-jeong Choi who work playfully animating food items through sculpture and video. Claire Graves also inspires fun through her embroideries of nostalgic retro foods such as Chip Sticks, whilst Catherine Hill uses needle and thread to share her stories of growing up in Lancashire, journaling home life with its rich dialect. During the exhibition we welcomed many people to enjoy the show and explore the language of food through creativity.

A fun and creative activity sheet was produced to coincide with this exhibition which has been completed and enjoyed by many.

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Our Food Activities Sheet for young foodie explores to complete whilst discovering the exhibition. ​

Kingshill House proudly donated 10% of sales during the exhibition period to The Wiggly Worm.
The Wiggly Worm uses cooking and sharing of food as a platform to build confidence and skills, improve health, and reduce social isolation. Food is the charity’s tool to get people doing better in their lives through cooking clubs, health and education projects and kitchen challenges.
thewigglyworm.org.uk

Kingshill House is passionate to champion and share art, craft, health, and wellbeing with the community. We believe that art and craft is for everyone, and Kingshill House is a safe space where anyone can come, be creative, enjoy themselves, relax and take their minds off things. We specialise in delivering workshops, courses, drop-in classes, and exhibitions which inspire and educate people on contemporary, traditional, and folk crafts.
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Kingshill House, Kingshill Lane, Dursley, Gloucestershire, GL11 4BZ
www.kingshillhouse.org.uk - 01453 549133

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