Matina

Correspondence used for the artwork ‘Many Hands: A year of exchanges and stories’

Hi M, You chose ‘405:12150’ which equates to 6hrs and 45 mins of time. We decided that you were going to cook veggie food for the exchange. Are you still ok to do this? B

Hi M, I hope you’re well.
I’m getting back to my year of time project tying up loose ends and I think that after our chat I forgot to send you an email about participating!!!!!
I’m so, so sorry. I hope that you’re still interested in cooking some veggie food in exchange for the basket. I’m going to assume you are so please see below for all the nitty gritty (and attached a pic of your vessel). B

Dear B,Thank you so much for your email and so many plans have been thwarted in coming out your way of late. I really appreciate you touching base about your project and our exchange. I agree to having the process photographed. I will have everything in place to document my hands making throughout the time duration. I will contact you again this week to synchronise possible date/dates for me to deliver the food. Hope you’re having a lovely afternoon and look forward to seeing you soon. Warm wishes M x

I hope you’re having a good start to the week. I’ve had a look at some dates for the delivery of food for our exchange. I am going away in a week overseas and will be back early October. I am available either Wednesday 17th or Thursday 18th October and the week after that. Would that fruit you and fit into your schedule? I was hoping to do it before I leave but I think time is running out now unfortunately. Sorry for the delay. I really look forward to crafting some food for you!! M xx

Hello, Any of those days/times work for me. I am always here Wed to Sat 11 – 5pm….and I look forward to your yummy food! However, it doesn’t matter – but I am showing all the exchanges plus any vessels that have an exchange in progress or waiting etc. in an exhibition here opening drinks 10^th October. It’s just on for a week until 13^th October. Will you be back to see the show? – Bx

Hi B, Excellent!! I look forward to ferrying in some food for you on my return. Yes, I will be back for show and may also be able to do that week for delivery. A friend has a 50th that week and that was a question mark but I’ll let you know if I can do it sooner. Either way I shall see you during the week of the show and look forward to it! Happy making and look forward to seeing the show, – m x

Hi B, I hope you had a great opening last night. It was like a museum going through the exchanged objects and the stories. Fascinating! It certainly surprised me how much the project from my end made me think about time and making and the process. Thank you so much.

What I brought in yesterday was Stuffed Vegetables (Yemista), Almithalota (almond stars) and Indian Burfi. The stuffed vegetables and the almond stars are both family recipes that would go back a long time. My mum has been instrumental in preserving these traditions more so than anyone else in my family. The almond stars have always eluded me. As you can see, mine don’t look like stars. I don’t know how my mum does it??!! These were the most successful of any batch I’ve tried and it still is frustrating. I will bring you a perfect example one day..

The Burfi is from ‘Cooking with Kurma’. I became obsessed with Burfi in India and the way it is made is so fascinating. I may even have a photo somewhere. It’s made in a very large barrel and someone stirs it for hours until the milk reduces down. The recipe I make Burfi from uses the same principle and I specifically thought it would be relevant for this exchange because it is repetitive and time consuming. It’s very tiring! Interesting as you spoke yesterday about having to endure weaving and the pain in your hands.

If you have any questions or if you want me to elaborate on this exchange please let me know.

I look forward to coming over in the next couple of weeks and checking out the next exhibition. Rest well, M xx

Recipes