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SRO presents ‘Eating the Archives’
20 September 2011
‘Eating the Archives' is an innovative multiplatform event presented by the State Records Office (SRO) and was devised in collaboration with creative director and transmedia practitioner, Danielle Giles from Inkubator. Staged during the Commonwealth Festival, this event will see celebrated WA chef Hadleigh Troy of Restaurant Amusé reinterpret and reinvent menus from past State occasions sourced from the State's archives with a creative and modern twist.‘Eating the Archives' is a different kind of exhibition drawing on some of the ideas emanating from recent cross media events and discussions. A luncheon event that is also linked to an online exhibition about the archives has received a very positive response. It is the first program of its kind to be presented by the State Records Office and will provide insight into archival stories significant to CHOGM and the State's history.
‘Eating the Archives' is an interactive demonstration of how historical archives can be reinterpreted to be relevant today. The event will show that the State's archives are not just dusty old objects to be handled with gloves, but can be interpreted in all kinds of ways and can even be, quite literally, ingested by the community.
Head chef and owner of Restaurant Amusé, Hadleigh Troy says, "The process of putting on the gloves and looking through all the old archives surprised me and I drew unexpected inspiration from handling original documents,"
"Asparagus and aspic were definitely the food fashions of the day, like heirloom carrots would be today; heirloom refers to vegetables grown before the 1950s - before commercial farming led to hybrids - you could call them archival vegies."
An online exhibition highlighting relevant stories and State archives will also feature mini documentaries about the event itself. CHOGM will be one of the largest State occasions ever to occur in WA and Archivists at the SRO have long known that the State's archives reveal, in intricate detail, the activities surrounding previous State occasions, such as Royal and Parliamentary visits. These archives include the menus of these occasions and the issues surrounding the sourcing of produce.
It is hoped that 'Eating the Archives' will be a template for future similar multi-platform events/exhibitions that are currently in the process of being conceptualised by SRO, enabling the SRO's aim of pursuing active engagement with the community in the 21st century.
‘Eating the Archives' event details:
When: Friday 28 October, 2011, during the Commonwealth Festival.
Where: People's Space, Perth Cultural Centre, James Street, Northbridge.
Time: 12:00pm.
Visit www.sro.wa.gov.au/eta to register in the online lottery for your chance to win a seat at the event or view the online exhibition.
