Kickstart WIP – Ellamay Fitzgerald

Ellamay Fitzgerald presents: Outdoor Kitchen

Outdoor Kitchen is a participatory installation that reimagines a dining space, where cooking and conversation become tools for connection. In this iteration, I prepare miso congee with a mish-mash of Eastern and Western ingredients, reflecting on my own bi-racial identity, and the way I navigate the space between two cultures. 

For me, cooking and eating together has always been a way to reconnect with my father’s side of the family, especially after growing up disconnected from my Thai heritage. Each shared meal builds upon a personal archive of memories, feelings, and stories that help me piece together a sense of belonging.

"Outdoor Kitchen invites visitors to partake in a bowl of congee and consider, how does sharing a meal change the experience of eating it? What does it mean to gather together, to exchange stories, to taste something unfamiliar yet comforting? Through the act of cooking, serving, and eating, the work creates space for reflection on how food shapes belonging, identity, and connection across cultures.

This event is part of a series of showings from Next Wave's 2024–25 Kickstart Program. The program supported seven individual artists and one collective to develop a project over 18 months, under the guidance of Next Wave and local mentors.

Accessibility

Brunswick Mechanics Institute is a step-free venue with accessible bathrooms.

Video tour of Brunswick Mechanics Institute

Download the Brunswick Mechanics Institute visual story (.docx) 
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