The Foraged Feast is a series of performative, pop up meals. This year the Foraged Feast seeks three artists to collaborate in the creation of three pop-ups through a juried open-call process. The feasts will be offered free to the public and will feature visual art made by the artists and inspired by the process of gathering and working with local edible flora. Artists working in any medium may apply. Artists will be chosen based on their interest in the concepts of the Foraged Feast, work samples, and with the idea that their practice may innovate or enhance the structure of the Foraged Feast.

The goals and philosophies of the foraged feast are to promote land stewardship, teach plant identification, facilitate collaboration between artists, and generate a dialogue concerning personal and regional food culture. The series aims to encourage a stronger relationship between Mainers and their local flora through food and visual art.

Artists can expect the following:

• Free plant identification, wild foraging and processing workshops throughout multiple seasons.
• A wage for their time putting together the feasts
• A budget for materials
• The opportunity to collaborate with a small group of artists
• A platform to express their own ideas concerning local flora, food culture, gatherings, or any other concepts that are relevant to the Foraged Feast.
• The opportunity to offer an experience to the public for free, as well as the option to make works for sale during the events

Structure:

Once the group is formed, we will meet for foraging workshops monthly (twice monthly would be ideal) around Maine’s riverbanks, fields, and forests. Based on where artists are based will inform our foraging workshop locations. Food harvested will be processed together and stored for the feasts. Artists will be asked to document or create artwork about the plants, process, or experience. In the past, the art work has served as a way for eaters to slow down and contemplate the foraged component of each dish. We may also include works for sale at our feasts if that is something the group decides.

The group will plan how and where the dinner will be presented to the public using the template of past foraged feasts as a jumping off point. Pop ups may take place in a grange hall, barn, gazebo, or town landing. The dates of the feasts will be planned to coincide with other free, public art events such as a city artwalk. The public will be welcomed to the Foraged Feast and invited view and taste the food. Participating artists will be able inform the audience about the food plants in each dish.

Foraging and processing workshops will be held and taught by Rachel Alexandrou. Each session will include how to identify food plants, harvesting techniques, sustainable gathering practices, and processing techniques. Participating artists will ideally want to learn these skills as part of their experience with the Foraged Feast.

For questions or to apply please send a letter of interest, artist CV, 5-10 images of previous work, and any relevant links to three.left.hands@gmail.com by April 15th.

If you would be interested in working with the Foraged Feast as a volunteer, you may note that on your application. 

Support for the Foraged Feast is provided, in part, by the Kindling Fund, a grant program administered by SPACE as part of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Regional Regranting Program.