Dapur Umum 56 (Yogyakarta)
Dapur Umum 56 (Public Kitchen 56) is a movement initiated from fellows of Ruang MES 56 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic situation to meet one basic human need: food. This pandemic has forced many of us to cease living the life we have known so far, so this movement was established to share the vulnerabilities among freelance art workers in Yogyakarta affected by Covid-19. This movement believes, we have to admit that we cannot move just on our own to get through this crisis and that we are never alone.
At first, this initiative was initiated as a meant to support the #MaskerForAll movement that Ruang MES 56 launched at the start of the pandemic. However, over time, a collective idea emerged from fellow art collectives and art workers to expand this safety net for fellow art workers in Yogyakarta affected by Covid-19, which then later became the Dapur Umum Kolektif (Collective Public Kitchen). When the situation started to be somewhat “under control”, fellow art workers began to find works again, so the Dapur Umum Kolektif was then transferred back to the 56 Public Kitchen until now.
Performative Installation
Dapur umum 56 was first formed and operated in 2020, as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which affects the economy of many people including art workers. As a response to an emergency, Dapur Umum 56 initiated a fundraising to purchase food and provide ready-to-eat food, and used the collective kitchen of Ruang Mes 56 as a point of distribution. Since the pandemic has been ongoing for over a year, Dapur Umum 56 is considering a new form of distribution relevant for today’s development. Most people certainly have adjusted themselves to the new way of life, including adopting a new way to survive in the current condition.
This time, in Jogja Biennale, Dapur Umum 56 uses art events as a vehicle to continue to experiment with the forms of redistribution suitable for the needs of those accessing the aid. During the exhibition, Dapur Umum 56 will collaborate with several collectives and communities, such as the student community from Lembata, Fak-Fak, and Tidore and the Tonjo Foundation collective to give a response by cooking and sharing food-related strategies in emergencies. By utilizing the structure and publicity of the Biennale platform, Dapur Umum 56 tries to become a place for sharing for collaborators, donors, as well as beneficiaries of Dapur Umum 56.
