by Sophia Kecir Camper

Altogether a design installation, art performance and immersive social experiment, Cheek to Cheek gives the audience a sneak peak into an alternative scenario of a non-productive convivial urban space to cultivate our curiosity, critical thinking, collective imagination and cooperative dynamics. Tweaking the Speculative Design methods, from futuristic to desirable present realities, with the inspiration from The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, we question how we should redesign our neighborhoods, friendships, tables and spare time in the context of the Paris Agreement. The main piece of the installation is what seems to be an open kitchen. It suggests the audience to get closer, take the initiative of chopping a vegetable, take collective ownership to make it work, and look behind the scene, as a larger metaphor of civic engagement in society. Through the basic need that is eating, we get to reflect on how to regain collective knowledge, agency and the joy of coming together to feed our body and soul.