CONGEE is a six-day installation by artist Alastair Kwan and F.A.T. Studio, which will transform the project space at SET Studios Lewisham into a canteen serving Hong Kong style congee. From Wednesday 16th to Monday 21st of November Alastair will be cooking and serving some Hong-Kong style congee; a savoury rice porridge dish widely eaten across East Asia. The canteen will be open daily from 9am to 4pm. CONGEE will also play host to a programme of daytime and evening events from other artists and local organisations, which can be booked via this page (see below). Through CONGEE we will transform the art space into a meeting point, engaging the local community in Lewisham, East South-East Asian diaspora, and celebrating the amazing diversity of London’s neighbourhoods.

This project brings together research and art around congee, inspired by Alastair's own experiences and memories of growing up British Born Chinese. It draws on the cultural importance of food within immigrant communities, and how small restaurants and businesses become a focal point for the diaspora community. Congee shows the best characteristics of Cantonese food; simple, resourceful, warm, cheap, back-to-essentials and tasty. For some people congee will be a familiar dish; they might have had it growing up, and have struggled to find it in London. For others, congee will be a new experience.

Do I need to book to visit the canteen?

The canteen will be open from 9am to 4pm each day. There is no need to book, just drop in.

Events programme

CONGEE will also play host to a programme of daytime and evening events from other artists and local organisations.

PRIVATE VIEW

Wednesday 16th November 6:00–8:30PM

Join us for the opening night of CONGEE.

No booking required.

THE SISTERHOOD HEALTH EVENT

Thursday 17th November 6:30–8:30PM

The SisterHood is a collective of women from the South East of London who are committed to improving healthy outcomes for ourselves, through shared experience, expertise, examples of good practice and by building on supportive networks to create pathways to successful living.

Thursday evening's event will include a masterclass in holistic therapies, preventative therapies and promoting our own wellbeing. With guest speakers Shola Kasim (NHS) and Flow Arts Wellness.

In partnership with Orange Bow.

Reserve a spot in the ticket section.

CO-WORKING LUNCH CLUB with Creative Network Old Kent Road

Friday 18th November 12.30–2:00PM

Creative Network Old Kent Road is branching out to Lewisham for a special lunch club meeting. If you're interested in creative engagement in SE London, come and meet other local creatives for ideas sharing, support and collaborations.

Reserve a spot in the ticket section.

GAME PARTY – CONGEE PLAYTESTING with William Wong

Saturday 19th November 5–7PM

Join William Wong, a game developer and game designer, for a playtesting session of a new game, CONGEE, designed for this event. Players of the game will learn how to cook congee and also other East Asia or South-east Asia dishes. William will also introduce about game elements and how to conduct a playtesting.

Reserve a spot in the ticket section.

SCENT FROM MEMORIES: CORSAGE WORKSHOP with Janice Lam and Polam Chan

Sunday 20th November 4–5:30PM

The workshop will be arranging Corsage with florals. It will be in a theme of Chinese flowers. The corsage is traditionally made for formal events, to distinguish a person from another both in western and eastern cultures. The conversation started when I visited Kew Gardens, and the Narcissus scent reminds me of my childhood and home in Hong Kong. The workshop utilises the scent of flowers to revisit our memories. Memories are not only shown through photographs and videos, but smells, touch, and thought can be more impactful to our memory of time & space.

Reserve a spot in the ticket section.

ARTS FREELANCER BREAKFAST CLUB with LEAN

Monday 21st November 9:30–11:00AM

Lewisham Education Arts Network (LEAN) champions arts education in Lewisham through empowering artist educators, those that work with them, and strategic partners to foster high quality creative opportunities for children and young people.

This is an opportunity to meet other freelancers working in the participatory arts and share your experiences and talk about your own work and practice as a freelancer. The LEAN team will be on hand to share information and offer advice. CONGEE project organisers Alastair Kwan and F.A.T. Studio will also be there to introduce themselves and their collaboration.

All those who live and/or work in Lewisham, Lambeth, Southwark or Greenwich are welcome, regardless of art form or career stage.

Book tickets via this link.

Who is organising this?

Alastair Kwan is a British-Born Hong Kong artist. He recently graduated studying MA Sculpture at the Royal College of Art and currently lives and works in London as an artist. In 2021 he co-founded the organisation Liquid Gold Studios, which promotes artistic community in central London. He positions his work between his Hong Kong heritage and experiences growing up in the UK, taking inspiration from cultural encounters and post-colonial theory.

Prior to the RCA he studied and worked as a lawyer. He has shown work in many exhibitions most recently at Robinson College, Cambridge and the Royal Institute of British Architects. In 2021 he received the RCA Gilbert Bayes Award from the Royal Society of Sculptors.

F.A.T. Studio is a creative studio and Community Interest Company that organises easily-accessible creative experiences for South East Londoners of all ages and backgrounds.

This project is kindly hosted by SET – a multifaceted arts and community organisation based in numerous centres across London. SET is home to an eclectic and experimental arts programme alongside affordable artist workspace.

The project also received support from Jupiter Woods gallery and is funded by Lewisham Council as part of Lewisham Borough of Culture 2022.

Do I need to book to visit the canteen?

Events programme

PRIVATE VIEW

W﻿ednesday 16th November 6:00–8:30PM

T﻿HE SISTERHOOD HEALTH EVENT

Thursday 17th November 6:30–8:30PM

CO-WORKING LUNCH CLUB with C﻿reative Network Old Kent Road

Friday 18th November 12.30–2:00PM

GAME PARTY – CONGEE PLAYTESTING with William Wong

Saturday 19th November 5–7PM

SCENT FROM MEMORIES: CORSAGE WORKSHOP with Janice Lam and Polam Chan

Sunday 20th November 4–5:30PM

ARTS FREELANCER BREAKFAST CLUB with LEAN

Monday 21st November 9:30–11:00AM

W﻿ho is organising this?

Wednesday 16th November 6:00–8:30PM

THE SISTERHOOD HEALTH EVENT

CO-WORKING LUNCH CLUB with Creative Network Old Kent Road

Who is organising this?