I am fundamentally interested in, and concerned with, community based and socially engaged practice that addresses imbalances and inequalities within society. Through my work, I have begun to explore the possibility of repurposing eating experiences and meal times to question community, communication, consumption and collectivism. By using food as a vehicle, I have been able to explore how we can gain better understandings of each other, share knowledge and become familiar with other and alternative realities. How can eating experiences that sustain social, physical and emotional health be accessible to all and how can the ‘table’ be used as a tool for democracy?

I am not interested in merely inviting more voices to the ‘table’ and diversifying those who it represents, but examining and rebuilding its structure. I refer to the ‘table’ in both a physical and metaphorical sense, allowing me to challenge what it symbolises and question our places and roles within society.

The three films that I have been working on have allowed me to illustrate some of my ideas and thinking. The pandemic has introduced certain restrictions to what I intended to do, so in some instances I have used a pilot study to test out future work. Moving forward, I will continue to work with the concept of the ‘table’ and place it within a more intersectional and international space.