In May 2019, shortly after beginning the residency program at the Rijksakademie, I decided to build a communal kitchen. During the early days of the residency, I sensed a peculiar and intense tension among the participants. I wanted to explore how the concept of ‘us’ among artists materializes through shared activities like cooking, eating, and drinking together in a communal space. When I proposed constructing a kitchen, Rijksakademie approved the installation on two conditions: first, that it be a non-permanent setup, movable by attaching wheels to its base; and second, that I take responsibility for its cleanliness. I complied by equipping the kitchen with wheels and committed to cleaning it every night throughout the residency.

In May 2021, the kitchen was slated for demolition by the building manager at Rijksakademie. Fortunately, Elke, who leads the Workshop Social Practice at Rijksakademie, helped find a new home for the kitchen at BOOST. Thanks to the wheels, the kitchen was moved to its new location unscathed. Elke’s support was crucial in making this transition possible.

BOOST, operated by the BOOST Foundation for Refugees, is a unique community hub in Amsterdam where newcomers and locals collaborate. They offer language courses, computer classes, cycling lessons, sewing workshops, and various opportunities for social interaction. When I visited BOOST to relocate the kitchen, I discovered that the elevator’s inner length was shorter than the kitchen’s total length—2.5 meters versus 1.9 meters. To fit the kitchen, I had to cut one of its cabinet parts. Despite this adjustment, the kitchen was successfully moved to its new home.

Once the kitchen was settled at BOOST, Elke, Linde, and I conceived the idea of organizing a cooking class with BOOST’s participants. The kitchen, being a space for cooking, eating, talking, and cleaning, seemed perfect for this initiative. We decided to reverse the usual roles by inviting BOOST participants to be our cooking instructors, while BOOST employees, volunteers, and Rijksakademie artists took on the role of students in the class.

In 2023, the recipes and stories collected from the cooking class were published as a cookbook titled <cook or hoop>.