As the anthropologist Marcel Mauss mentions “everything comes and goes as if there is a permanent and unstoppable exchange of a spiritual element–that includes humans and things – between Clan and individuals, social series, genders and generations . Food is part of our artistic practice in many actions. Food is the reason to be hosted by scattered communities of the city, to get involved in their problems, to develop relationships, to learn from the nomadic ways of life.

During the meal a temporal community is created just like in the old festivals that still take place in secluded areas that can be reached on foot (Mavro Chorio, Sifnos), food is an important point in time. There are no distinctions, classes, professions, origin.
In the workshop “Action and Place” in the Cycladic island of Sifnos, at the last day of the material presentation in the central square of the Kastro settlement, the residents were invited and were offered a kind of pie “the lazy girl’s bougatsa” (summer 2005). On June 21st, Music day, at Gazochori in the action “I beg you not to tear down my world” in the central square, the residents of the area played music. Music is the language through which are expressed the Turkish-speaking Muslims that mostly inhabited the area. We along with women from the neighborhood made some snacks (2005). In Salento at the presentation of Egnatia Project organized by Osservatorio Nomade, everyday a team from a different country offers food from its place of origin. We cooked and offered soutzoukakia (2005). In the project Apolis, abstract dedicative sculpture inspired by ancient goddess Atremis, goddess of variation, made to be eaten, becomes the exchange of trust between people. This object-exchange is a symbol of hospitality. In exchange of the edible dedicative sculpture that we offer to the members of the exiled community, they offer to us objects selected by them such as two embroidered towels from their place of origin. The role of the foreigner is ambiguous because the Apolis- foreigner is the one that offers to us hospitality temporarily.

Projects related to food are particularly important during the crisis. They are related to solidarity and hospitality. The ephemeral community that is created starts a conversation. Food gives the opportunity to talk about issues of concern regarding the city, to exchange, to share, excluding charity. Below we will talk about actions such as the one in Koumoundourou square with immigrants from Africa who, at that time, lived in the square, for the “food” in the early days of the occupation of Embros Theater, for the action in Tirana in a former communist central square that is an urban void in the modern city. Food is significant, such as bread, olives and a meal made by us. During the actions text readings occur as well as readings of poetry quotes, discussions about the city. In Actions the participants are guests and passers-by.