BALTIC and Travelling Gallery have converted a bus into a mobile exhibition space, which has been travelling around the North-East since February. The bus will conclude its journey during BALTIC’s 20th Anniversary Celebration Weekend, by parking outside the gallery on BALTIC Square, on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th July 2022.
The BALTIC was originally built by Rank Hovis in 1950 and operated as a working flour mill until 1984. The mobile exhibition is named ‘What’s for Tea?’, which refers to BALTIC’s building history before it opened in 2002 as a new contemporary arts centre. Its aim is to explore food production and consumption by travelling around communities, discussing what we eat, how much we eat, and how our eating habits could help combat the climate emergency. The mobile gallery hopes to kickstart these discussions by showcasing artist-led workshops, talks, an exhibition, walks, and hospitality. The exhibition is particularly inspired by group work and togetherness, as artists, art collectors, community groups, and children, have all been encouraged to contribute to the works. The activities provided are suitable for all ages, and the exhibition is free, therefore the main intention of BALTIC and Travelling Gallery is to educate others and begin a friendly discussion surrounding how we approach food.
Food production is responsible for a quarter of the world's greenhouse gas emissions and due to the rising population, production will need to increase by 70% in the next years. The exhibition, therefore, explores sustainable food production, which could include things such as using environmentally efficient food packaging, reducing food waste, and eating more plant-based foods. Thus, through a series of methods, including film, sculptures, print, and digital, the work displayed throughout the exhibition explores initiatives for sustainable food production and consumption.
The bus will be making its way around areas of the North East until the middle of June, so keep a lookout for it, or head down to the Quayside during BALTIC’s anniversary weekend!