As I progress in curating and installing my exhibition in the restaurant, I’ve reached several key conclusions that are shaping my process and understanding of the project:
1. The Challenge of Selection and Context
The initial process of selecting works in my atelier was unexpectedly complex. It was challenging to imagine how pieces would interact with each other and the final space, particularly in representing specific themes like identity and place.
Bringing the works into the restaurant made me realize that selecting and combining pieces is not just about how they exist individually but how they communicate within a space and build a narrative.
The restaurant context also introduced a unique dynamic compared to the neutrality of a gallery or white cube space. Working alongside the restaurant owners, who had their own ideas about the display, was surprisingly inspiring. This collaborative approach opened new ways of thinking about how art functions in a lived, public space rather than a traditional art environment.
2. Identity as a Fluid, Evolving Concept
Through this process, I began to notice how identity operates on multiple timelines - personal, cultural, and spatial. For example, I no longer live in China, but I continue to create works inspired by my experiences there. This led me to realize that identity and the memory of a place evolve with the body over time and do not change immediately upon leaving a location. The emotional and mental residue of a place persists, blending with new experiences, which creates a complex layering of time and belonging.
However, I’ve also noticed gaps in my current body of work. While I feel clear that China represents a period of consumption and digital influence in my life, I don’t yet have the right works to fully communicate this. This realization has motivated me to create new pieces specifically for this chapter of the exhibition, so the narrative is more cohesive and complete.
3. Evolving Curation: A Creative Process
Curating this exhibition has revealed itself to be less of a rigid, pre-planned process and more of a creative evolution. Unlike meticulously planned curatorial projects, this exhibition is unfolding organically, influenced by the restaurant space, the owners, and ongoing decisions. Each step, from the placement of works to the development of supporting elements like the menu, has sparked new ideas and directions.
For example, I’ve decided to add new decorative touches and reimagine small details to further enhance the storytelling. This approach feels both challenging and liberating, as it mirrors the themes of fluidity and transformation in the exhibition itself.
4. Synesthesia vs. Cultural Representation
The dish combining foie gras and chocolate is deeply personal, as it reflects my synesthetic perception of these ingredients sharing a violet hue. However, I’ve started questioning whether this dish aligns with the exhibition’s focus on identity. While it connects to my identity as an artist with synaesthesia, it feels less tied to cultural representation.
I’ve considered creating a dish inspired by Russian cuisine, such as blini, to represent my cultural roots. However, this raises further questions: Would focusing on Russian cuisine overshadow the other cultures represented in the exhibition? Should the menu reflect a more universal or hybrid approach to identity rather than emphasizing one specific culture? Or is there one dominant culture in a person that will somehow seep through all other experiences? These are questions I am still working through.
5. Shared Food as a Space for Dialogue
Inspired by other artists who have hosted dinners as part of their projects, I’m exploring the idea of creating shared dining experiences within the exhibition. Sharing food could provide a powerful way to connect with audiences and foster dialogue around themes of identity and belonging.
However, this idea presents practical challenges:
When should I invite people, and at what point in the exhibition process?
What should the structure of these dinners look like, and how can they align with the exhibition’s themes?
Who will fund or support these events?
These questions remain unresolved, but I am searching for a way to integrate this experience into the project.
6. The Role of Collaboration and External Perspectives
I’m actively seeking collaboration with an art critic or curator who can bring an outside perspective to the project. I hope to organize an artist talk or panel discussion as part of the exhibition to deepen the engagement with its themes. While this is proving to be a challenging task, I believe it is essential to enrich the narrative and create a space for critical dialogue.
7. Questioning the Effectivity of Presentation
I started to heavily question whether my exhibition is effectively addressing the themes I’ve set out to explore, especially such a complex concept as identity. That is why I am collecting here ideas which I understood from different sources and advice to ensure the themes are fully realised and communicated in artworks and ideas:
1. Revisiting Core Themes
key aspects of identity I want to address (e.g., cultural identity, migration, belonging, transformation, self-identification).
Are these aspects visible in the artworks themselves, the sensory experience (e.g., food, space, sound, form), and the interactions which I am creating?
Test:I need to write a short description of how each work relates to identity. If the connection feels unclear, I need to adjust the work or add supportive elements (e.g., text, sound, or interactive moments).
2. Audience Perspective
How my audience will engage with the works. Will they understand the themes through visual, sensory, and conceptual cues?
Test: I can share my concept with my peers, (curators), or friends. Can ask them what themes come across and where there’s ambiguity.
“Does the exhibition clearly communicate the interplay between identity and food? Are there areas that feel unresolved or underexplored?”
I will include short text labels and interactive questions to help audiences connect the works with the theme of identity. But will it be not too much for the restaurant?
3. Deepen Connections Between Food and Identity
Food is inherently tied to identity through culture, memory, and tradition. How can I highlight this connection explicitly in my exhibition?
How does the foie gras and chocolate dish evoke identity for me as an artist?
Does the act of sharing a meal reflect ideas of belonging or cultural exchange?
Test: Should I use storytelling around the dish? For example, I might include a short text about how the synesthetic experience inspired the pairing and what it symbolizes about identity...
4. Layer Narratives Across Spaces
If the exhibition is structured as a metaphorical home, I need to make sure that each “room” reflects a clear aspect of identity:
Russia (entrance hall): Does the grounding force of tradition come across through materials, visuals, or sensory cues?
China (dining room): Are the ideas of consumption, exchange, and influence clear in this space?
5. Invite Dialogue
I need to think about participatory elements that allow viewers to reflect on their own identities.
For example, during the shared dinners, I can question them - “How does sharing food connect us to others or to our roots?”
As an idea: I can document responses from these interactions and integrate them into the exhibition (e.g., quotes, videos, or a reflective booklet).
Final Thoughts
This exhibition has been a journey of discovery - not just about the themes of identity, temporality, and belonging, but also about my process as an artist and curator. I’ve learned that identity is not static but layered, influenced by memory, place, and time. Curating is not just about organizing works; it’s a dynamic and creative act that evolves in dialogue with the space, collaborators, and audience.
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