David Zee stands in front of Tooschie Mok and shares stories about Katendrecht's first Chinese communities to a tour organized by soupspoon.
We no longer just program the inside of our building. We take the liberty to collaborate with makers to find the best form, place and partners to explore specific topics and actively involve people in the process. Our first nomadic project started in June with Reading Room Rotterdam and local collective SoupSpoon. This collaboration focused on their work around diaspora experiences and collective making through public events and organized gatherings. The result of this was their first event: “How to be Together”. After this event, Soupspoon organized a tour with David Zee and Verhalenhuis Belvedere, for a dive (making a kapi, you might say) into the stories of the first Chinese communities in Rotterdam.
After this tour a community newspaper was made with friends of Soupspoon to share stories of diaspora experiences. “The Spoon” is free and could be found in various places in the city, including Verhalenhuis Belvedere, Roodkapje, Gemaal op Zuid and KIOSK.
After six months of collaboration between Soupspoon, TENT and Reading Room Rotterdam, the project ended with the event 'Temple Making' at Verhalenhuis Belvedère. Guests brought objects to create personal altars, inspired by Chinese takeaway crates. The event included food, music and reflection on the meaning of a temple. Guests folded origami prayers, which were later burned by Soupspoon on the first day of the new moon calendar.