A Meal with the Tiffin Carrier (2017-2018)

By

Arpana Rao

Photograph of people sharing a meal served in a tiffin carrier.

A group of people were invited to engage with the multiple processes of a tiffin carrier (a stainless food container from India); from preparing food to packing and transporting the object, and then sharing a meal together.

A meal was planned with the intention to create a social space inspired by culture. The proposal/ invitation was as follows.

A meal with the Tiffin Carrier As the contraption of the layered metal container, the tiffin carrier is unlocked and deconstructed. I stop to ask myself, why the tiffin carrier? Is it the change in cultural geography (have moved to the UK from India) and my place in a new environment evoking me to offer something new to the table, to share a different culture? The carrier functioning as an object associated with movement/journey, social spaces and food goes on to demonstrate an innate ability to create cultural dialogue. I find people eager to taste and enquire about the dal, rice and vegetable curry concealed in the steel object after it has journeyed from home. The space is often opened up to discuss about food and culture before they diverge off into other conversations. Every individual contributing to the space in a unique way, as they share about their experiences and significance of food. These times around the tiffin carrier have reminded me of my lunch times shared back home. In my initial weeks of being in England opening up my plastic lunch box, I was transported back home to lunchtimes with previous college mates. The desks made a screeching sound as they came together to create a table. After quickly gathering around, the lunch boxes were opened. I can vividly picture one tiffin carrier in particular; its metallic surface worn out and dented with time. My friend had it from her childhood and proudly still brought her lunch in the same small structure. There was an interlocking of hands as the ‘subgies’ (curries) were scooped up with small fragments of ‘roties’ (flatbread). Everyone was invited to come and share in the contained goods and it was respectful to call the teacher too.

To re- create and establish a space of social exchange with food and dialogue, with tiffin carriers. I invite you to share in a space with tiffin carriers. A tiffin carrier entails with it a chain of processes from cooking, packing the food, carrying the object, eating and finding its way back home. Considering these multiple processes I would like you to engage with the tiffin carrier, in its multiple processes. Experience the multi dimensional object in the following way;

• Cooking- Prepare food at home to fill into the layers. There is no restriction on the type of food that goes into the object savory/sweet. You have the complete freedom, but I would like there to be the element of making something, could be cooking in a pot, baking to cutting up fruit, It can’t be readymade from the store.

• After the food is prepared, fill the tiffin carrier

• As you leave home, carrier the object by its handle ( so that the object is visible), if the journey is long and you are concerned about handling the object and spillage, you may put it in a transparent bag , as I would like the tiffin carrier to be visible during the entire journey to the place of gathering .

• During each of these processes please document with photography and film footage.

• Depending on the number of layers of your tiffin carrier; if it has 3 layers, take 3 pictures during each stage ( cooking , packing the food, traveling ) can be taken by another person or personally

• Again depending on the number of layers of your tiffin carrier, eg 2 layers, capture 2mins of film at each process.

• The documenting can be done by you or with the help of another person (especially when you are journeying with the object).

• The documenting can be either done with your phone or a camera

• The documentation will be collected and contribute to a larger body of work, a final piece of work

• Come together to share lunch with others with tiffin carriers

• Please bring your own cutlery (but your more than welcome to just use your hands) and something to serve if necessary, plates will not be required, as a layer or the lid of the tiffin carrier is sufficient.

• Please bring your own bottle of water

As you engage with the object, I would like you to think about;

• What home means to you, what defines it;

• The significance of home cooked food for you;

• If the tiffin carrier has made you more aware of your sense of place, more aware of your surrounding;

• When was the last time you shared a meal with people The social space around the tiffin carrier will be directed;

• The conversations will be steered as there will be few questions to ask and discuss. Each person will be given the chance to share what they have brought in their carrier and why. ( approximately 5 mins for each person);

• Will share some personal and cultural stories of the tiffin carrier with sound pieces

• The location- outside the university campus on the green- we will sit in a circle, cross legged (at least try for some time);

• The lunch will last for an hour but may extend this time, as it’s flexible to how long the conversations last and till the food is eaten;

• At the end each person will pack up their own tiffin carrier and take it back home with them. ( unpack the layers, and wash the tiffin carrier);

• Please also document the processes of taking it back home, unpacking and washing the object in the similar way;

• The space will be documented with photographs and film.

Thank you so much for your time and willingness to be a part of the collective space around tiffin carries. The outcome was that, as planned, a social space inspired by food and culture was created. The people gathered represented various countries and shared their unique stories with food and their experience with engaging with the tiffin carrier.

More information: www.arpanarao-artist.com

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Arpana Rao

As a young artist from India Arpana Rao’s creative expression speaks of her culture, as she is moved by her surrounding, people and the everyday. Growing up in a rugged rural place of south India and witnessing her parents invest their lives in social work Arpana’s work too has been motivated by a sense of social consciousness and a desire to elevate the everyday. In the past her work has represented the local farming communities as home was surrounded by paddy fields, the overwhelming market places and more recently the everyday cultural object’ tiffin carriers’ a layered metallic food container. Having drawn inspiration from Indian contemporary artist Subodth Gupta and his use of everyday objects and kitchen utensils Arpana takes it further to consider the multiple associations of the tiffin carrier and unpacks its layers of social spaces, food and journey/movement. Integrating art and the everyday processes of life, she continues to question shouldn’t they be one? Having completed a BFA (Bachelors in Fine art) in Pune India, She went on to pursue a masters in fine art at the University of Creative Arts, Canterbury, UK. Finding herself in a new country, a new environment, her cultural background speaks even louder as she shares her culture, creating exchange and dialogue. Not being limited by a single medium of expression, Arpana’s practice is versatile, her work manifesting in the form of paintings, printmaking, drawings, sculpture and installations. Demonstrating an ability to work with a wide range of materials her practice is an open ended process just like a tiffin carrier. Arpana gets her hands messy with paint, ink and food and she loves it. ‘I see and perceive. I comment, and I evolve in a unique space and time. Art is the place that produces a specific sociability’. (Nicolas Bourriaud, Relational Aesthetics).

www.arpanarao-artist.com