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Potsdam · Germany

A New Dialogue Between Plate and Canvas: The Culinary Residency at DAS MINSK

Exploring gastronomy as curatorial practice in Potsdam

18 August 2026 · Exhibo Editorial

A New Dialogue Between Plate and Canvas

The former terrace restaurant that opened its doors in Potsdam during 1977 has undergone a significant transformation. Now operating as DAS MINSK Kunsthaus, the institution retains the architectural footprint and social ethos of its original incarnation while pivoting firmly toward modern and contemporary visual culture. This layered past provides the conceptual foundation for a freshly launched initiative that examines gastronomy through a curatorial lens. Rather than treating meal preparation merely as sustenance, the programme positions culinary activity as a legitimate medium for artistic inquiry and public engagement. By reactivating the building's original function as a site of gathering, the museum seeks to dissolve rigid hierarchies between creator and spectator, inviting visitors to reconsider how nourishment functions within institutional frameworks.

Curating the Table

Applicants may include professional cooks, visual artists, designers working across food systems, and practitioners operating at various disciplinary intersections. The selection committee is particularly interested in proposals that interrogate communal eating, collective memory, ecological responsibility, agricultural practices, and evolving nutritional paradigms. Participants will spend three months developing work that bridges institutional archives with live experimentation. The resulting output might take the form of a rotating seasonal offering for the museum's café, a series of interactive supper gatherings, or a performative exploration of regional heritage. While suggested formats provide a useful starting point, the organisers explicitly encourage unconventional methodologies that challenge traditional boundaries between kitchen and studio. Such initiatives often reveal how taste, scent, and shared consumption operate as potent vectors for cultural transmission.

Practical Framework and Support

Selected participants will undertake their work between April and July 2027. In return for their contributions, residents receive a monthly grant of one thousand euros alongside covered transport costs for their initial arrival. Accommodation consists of a fully equipped flat capable of hosting up to three individuals, though accompanying dependents must cover their own daily expenses and journeys. A nationwide public transport pass ensures seamless mobility throughout Germany, while additional funding may be allocated to realise specific project components. Residents also gain unrestricted entry to current shows, dedicated production zones, and ongoing guidance from the curatorial staff. This comprehensive package removes logistical friction, allowing creators to concentrate entirely on experimental development and audience interaction.

How to Submit

Interested candidates must compile a concise professional overview, representative images or documents showcasing previous output, a two-page outline detailing their proposed intervention, and a single-page financial breakdown. All materials should merge into a single PDF document not exceeding ten pages or five megabytes. Submissions require delivery to the designated electronic mailbox before the twenty-third hour on nineteen September 2026. The institution has pledged administrative assistance regarding German entry procedures and actively encourages submissions from professionals representing varied cultural backgrounds and methodological approaches. By streamlining the administrative burden, DAS MINSK aims to attract a diverse cohort capable of expanding the dialogue around food as both material and metaphor.

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