Week 11: Practical Research – Reflections on Gurrl Dinner: Let us Digest
Introduction
This blog post recounts the set up of the collective In vitro gallery space, as well as observations and reflections on the Gurrl Dinner Event
Preparation
Following the schedule, I arrived at Summerhall at 14:45 to assist Kate in moving bags filled with rocks, stones, glass bottles, glass vases, branches, flowers, and other foraged plant materials from the car and into the gallery space. We started to arrange the table as a first concern; this way, if the table scape required more materials or any additional alterations, there would be time for one of us to collect additional materials; this ended up being the case.
Having previously identified the components of humour and refinement, we had to strive for a very particular aesthetic form of display to manifest these themes. As a result, I used the scheduled free time to look in the nearby charity shops to source additional drinking glasses and glass bottles, and then I foraged for additional small stones and pebbles to contrast the bigger stones that Kate had foraged originally. For me, this highlighted the importance of having contingency time scheduled into the organizational scheduling for the project. By implementing additional time, we were able to solve an issue that would have limited our realization of the space as a particular form of dining room, ensuring that the audience had an experience as closely aligned as possible with our initial group intentions. The additional time scheduled for setting up the decorations was also useful in allowing a more thoughtful arrangement.
Considering that elements of décor were contributed by 4 people, and we didn’t have access to the space prior to the setup, I believe that allowing the space to manifest in a collaborative and spontaneous way was effective in situating the event within the space, responding to the gallery’s architecture in real time (such as the use of foraged ivy on the windows and using the window shelves to create an altar-like arrangement). However, this was a risky method, as little outright direction could have resulted in only a partially realized display. In future iterations, or similar events, I would opt for the development of a partial scaffolding structure so that there is an element of preplanning while also leaving room for responsiveness to spatial or situational restrictions or possibilities.
Kate Garramone, Emily Geary, Sarah Percival, and Harry Mayston, Gurrl Dinner Tablescape (2025), Photo taken on site in the In Vitro gallery Summerhall, By Harry Mayston (06/04/2025)
Gurrl Dinner Event
The event started as planned, with individuals arriving at 6:30 pm. The formal invitation may have created a pressure for attendees to be precise in their arrival time, and the half an hour between arrival time and the commencement of the ‘Starter’ allowed for people to stow their coats and bags and collect a drink. All beverages were clear (such as sparkling and still water) and served in a variety of collected glasses.
Starter: Lobster in a China shop
Due to San Zhang’s rehearsal, they were able to make subtle alterations to their performance to interact with the space and the audience members, asking participants to hold the ribbon crochet fabric that was covering the ceramic lobster and including more call-and-response components, enticing the audience to engage. The only concern was that at time the size of the table scape obscured components of the piece; this could have been avoided by using a plinth to elevate the ceramic to a visible height.
San Zhang, Lobster in a China Shop (2025), Performed and photographed in the In Vitro Gallery Summerhall, Photographed by Harry Mayston (06/04/2025)
Main Get Stuffed
By activating the audience more than originally anticipated, the engagement in the following course, the ‘Main,’ was immediate, with participants quickly picking drawing materials and choosing their paper to start drawing and responding to the performance. The side-by-side drawing in Get Stuffed also fostered social communication as drawers interacted with and commented on each other’s processes.
Originally, we conceptualized this activity as happening around the table, with myself and the other organizers acting as servers, presenting the participants their materials in their seats. However, the distance between the table and the walls made it difficult to fit seats in the space, meaning that the drawing space would be cramped. Individuals would also only be able to see a small number of their peers’ drawings, limiting the social engagement of the meal process. Further, we identified this as an accessibility issue, as individuals with movement difficulties may find it difficult to move in and out of the cramped space. Instead, in the open drawing space, we were able to use plinths to create additional lower-level drawing surfaces that individuals who cannot stand for extended durations would be able to use.
Get Stuffed: Drawing Activity (2025), Invitro Gallery Summerhall, Photo Taken onsite by Harry Mayston
Dessert: Theoretical Fruit Salad.
We gathered back in the original space around the table. Sarah read ‘The Orange.’ By Wendy Cope, Emily read Seamus Heaney’s ‘Blackberry Picking,’ and I read ‘Goblin Market’ by Christina Rosetti. This was completed as expected and drew the event to a close.
Harry Mayston reading Goblin Market as part of Theoretical Fruit Salad, In vitro Gallery Summerhall, Photo taken on site by Kate Garramone (06/04/2025)
Sarah Percival reading The Orange as part of Theoretical Fruit Salad, In Vitro Gallery Summerhall, Photo taken on site by Kate Garramone (06/04/2025)
Conclusions and applications to my individual project:
In completing this event, I was able to recognize the value of scheduling and incorporating rehearsal/contingency time.
In the case of the decorations, having the chance to create a preliminary arrangement in the space prior to the day of the event would have been beneficial for a smooth process on the day. However, I have recognized that the fresh flowers would not have lasted for the required time. It is important to have time for installation to ensure that a curatorial project is realized in a way befitting the conceptual themes. But, as a curator, I must be responsive to the requirements of events as individual features; having one solid procedure would be reductive. Instead, a reflective practice is required to deem the best sort of procedure for the program. For instance, within Gurrl Dinner, Zhang required a rehearsal, whereas the development of table decorations required contingency time. Contingency time may be especially useful for events taking place within my proposed exhibition space. As the Strange Field Gallery is an open warehouse space, particular setup times may require me to temporarily limit entrance to the exhibition. To limit this, a full rehearsal of long-duration events may not be possible, scheduled contingency time can be applied to minimise disturbance, whilst ensuring seamless execution.
