210 canal st, rm 310, new york, ny
middle ground: (im)possible kitchen
09.01.-09.26.2026
minja gu
what we choose to eat—or not to eat—is never just a matter of personal taste. religious rules, cultural customs, family and community traditions, as well as lived environments and personal experiences all draw distinct boundaries around what we can and cannot eat, and sometimes even what we consider to be "food" at all.
𝒎𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒍𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅: (𝒊𝒎)𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒏 is a project that brings together and overlaps these different food rules, taboos, and personal experiences in one place. when an ingredient so ordinary to one person is something another cannot or must not eat, how can we prepare and share a meal together? is it possible to share a dish while still honoring our different rules? throughout september, artist 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐣𝐚 𝐠𝐮 transforms gmtc into a temporary kitchen, studio, archive, and meeting place to put these questions to the table.
by laying out collected historical materials, recipes, and food rules/taboos explored over time, the project gathers stories through encounters, adapts recipes, and cooks and shares meals together. those stories, recipes, notes, and records generated through workshops, collaborations, performances, as well as the ongoing cooking and conversation within the space will accumulate in real time, becoming ingredients for the next encounter and our next meal.
if you have a story about food you refrain from eating, food rules tied to your family, culture, or religion, dietary habits shaped by migration or lifestyle changes, or memories of sharing meals with others despite these differences, w̲e̲ ̲i̲n̲v̲i̲t̲e̲ ̲y̲o̲u̲ ̲t̲o̲ ̲s̲h̲a̲r̲e̲ ̲y̲o̲u̲r̲ ̲s̲t̲o̲r̲y̲. you can also participate in programs by bringing your own recipes to adapt together, or engage in conversation over cooking and dining. rather than searching for a single, perfect dish for everyone, this process explores the possibilities, impossibilities, and the "𝒎𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒍𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅" that emerges when different people attempt to eat together.
this september, we look forward to meeting, talking, cooking, and eating with you at gmtc.
ⓒ gmtc 2026