there's no place at
the dining table

EXPERIMENTAL PROJECT | ŠTÚROVO_2021*

The kitchen has always been the epicenter of the events - the soul- and at the same time visually most chaotic environment of the parents house. I perceive the table as a scene, where objects are constantly moving and leaving traces that retell a certain story of everyday life in the household.

The project idea was to capture these traces by positioning a sheet of paper atop the table and leaving it exposed for several days. However, this simple act evolved into a significant event that would influence my future practice.

On August 31st, 2021, I woke up early at 5:00 AM. I cleared the table, put the paper on it, and returned everything back to where it was. Then, I set up my phone to record the movement on the table. 

Our family doesn't often eat together at the table, only during special occasions such as Christmas, so it's usually cluttered with stuff that doesn't belong there. But on that day, it was different. Hour by hour, the table gradually cleared, and we sat down for a meal. It was like a snapshot of a role model family's daily life. My action made a temporary change, whether it was caused by the clear sheet of paper or because of the voyeuristic eye of the camera.

"there is no place at the dining table" is a symbolic work of clarifying the relationships and roles of my family members and me. Relationship and behavior analysis has become an integral part of my days at parent’s house. With its help, I was able to look at things objectively when I felt my stay in the house as inhospitable. 

The project is an ongoing endeavor and serves as the starting point for my subsequent projects. I am currently developing research and initiatives centered around the symbolism of the dining table and broader societal issues related to communal interactions. This project has provided valuable insights and inspiration for my future endeavors.