The Community Kitchen Table

About the project

The Community Kitchen Table is an ongoing installation/performance art project. It is installed in unusual places. The table is set and ready for visitors, and all are invited to participate. I have been developing my Community Kitchen Table project for over 10 years. Each project is unique to its location and participants. Whether installed in a classroom, on a busy street, in a park, or any location in need, it brings community together.

The Community Kitchen Table fosters a sense of community by reinforcing social support and belonging. My table is set with my dishware and photos of my family history and offers something to drink and eat. The idea of a table not only suggests satisfying hunger and thirst but also inspires social activity that brings people together and builds relationships. It evokes memories and creates shared experiences.

My table is a location of kindness and generosity that we who come together create. “We” are of varied ages, colors, geographies, cultures, genders, and nationalities who find compassion, peace, rest, connection, and shared stories at this table.

I continue to expand the locations of the Community Kitchen Table around the country and the world.

Please contact me if you would like to bring the table into your community, or to support this work through a donation.

Reviews

Mylon Medley, “Anacostia: D.C.’s up-and-coming canvas for artistic expression,” The Washington Post, April 24, 2012

Roberta Fallon, “Come on in my kitchen, then go see Vito Acconci,” The Artblog, March 24, 2008.

Andrea Kirsch, “Around Philadelphia: Paintings and Performance,” The Artblog, March 20, 2008.