LIVE DINING was launched the 23rd of June 2007, in front of the storefront window of articule (artist-run center) in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Me or I, Nicole Fournier constructed a frame of 16 inches high and about 7 feet by 11 feet. This frame was then filled with good earth and compost from a local organic farm (le Fort Senneville). The chairs were found or borrowed, and are either rusting, paint peeling off, or stained and marked by time and use in some way. The table, I constructed finally, as none was offered or found. But the table top I did find, and when I started putting the table together, bugs including a beautiful spider, came out of the wood. So the table is alive with rotting wood and is a home to insects, that did not bother us when we dined at the launch. The legs of the table are made from solid tree branches, some old, some newer, from tree pruning. I also used leftover pieces of wood, what I could find, to put it all together, in a inefficient way. The used chairs and constructed table (made of found and used decaying material), were placed in the earth, before the planting of seedlings. The chairs and table sunk in the earth and sunk more once sat in.
I thank the artists and members at articule, in particular, Patrick for helping me with the frame and Didier for shoveling compost and other work. I thank Alison Hackney from le Fort Senneville, for the compost. I thank Suzanne for helping me dumb earth and lending her beautiful, stained tablecloth. I also thank the staff at articule Catherine, Michele and Esme for their support.
As seen in the pictures, I planted seedlings and small plants of corn, squash, beans, bee balm, yarrow, lemon balm, motherwort and cosmos flowers, tomato and basil. So as with all agriculture, the beginning, we see more earth than green and color. In another month, growth will mean more green and colors.
Please see prior posts for the concept, history and description of LIVE DINING.
see LIVE DINING in Edmonton's performance festival Visualeyez 2007, in May 2007
http://visualeyez2007.blogspot.com/2007/05/live-dining-nicole-fournier.html
Here are some pictures below from the June 23rd launch, in Montreal, in front of the storefront window of articule.
LIVE DINING will continue "growing" (of course) throughout July and August, in front of articule.
LIVE DINING performances will take place august 25th 6pm and august 26th 2pm, 2007, in front of articule
www.articule.org
