I was tasked with delivering an artistic response to a site-specific location.
Leith’s, Earth in Commons, once a wasteland, this space has been turned into an active community croft, where locals grow their own produce and use the area for community gatherings. Drawing inspiration from the book Pomegranate Soup, a tale of bridging the cultural divide through food, I felt this resonated with the Leith community where residents who have lived in the area for generations, coexist happily with immigrants new to the area. Leith is suffused with global eateries. I wanted my artwork to celebrate the tapestry of this special community.
Further inspiration came from the Mennonite community I lived close to during my childhood in Canada. Famed for their patchwork quilts, women sew together, creating communal works of art, sharing stories, and building relationships in the process.
I created a large ‘picnic blanket’ consisting of 32 ‘squares’ of canvas. 32 represents the number of teeth in an adult human. The blanket measured 5mt x 2.27mt. A mix of mediums were used. Each patch represents a Leith resident and their relationship with food. Half of the patches were created by residents themselves. The remainder I designed on residents’ behalf. The patches were laboriously stitched together, creating a narrative that depicts the rich cultural and social melting pot representing the vibrant Leith community.
The project culminated in a potluck picnic, where contributors were invited to the Croft to share a potluck picnic and stories of living and eating in Leith.
The blanket has gone on to be displayed at various events across Edinburgh including Leith Late, EurConference and Leith Food Festival.
It has appeared in the publications Daily Life Magazine and Leith For Ever
Poster used to promote the Forms of Sharing potluck picnic and Pomegranate Soup blanket.
Community Project
Food Quilt
Originally exhibited at Leith Community Croft
April 2022
Workshop and picnic blanket on display at Leith Late, July 2022
Tracey Exton Art 