The Table

Would you eat something past its best-before date? For one evening only, Colombian artist Paola A. Sánchez sets a table in Primrose Hill. Guavas in every stage of ripeness, some still hard, some soft and fragrant, some wrapped in newspaper to hurry them along. Among them sit handmade bocadillos, the traditional Colombian guava sweet, sealed in bijao leaves and stamped with an expiry date that has already passed. The fruit shows you exactly what condition it is in. The bocadillo shows you only a date. Which one do you trust? Look, smell, choose, and taste. Every choice counts: what gets eaten and what gets left behind becomes part of the work, so the table you see at 9pm will not be the table you saw at 6. The expiry dates are part of the concept. All bocadillos are freshly made and safe to eat. Your ticket to the table Entry to the exhibition is free. A £5 tasting ticket lets you take part: choose a piece from the table and taste it, redeemable until 9pm. Tasting is limited to what's on the table, so booking ahead is the best way to secure your bite. Any remaining tickets will be available on the door via QR code, subject to availability. When: Monday 19 October, 6–9pm Where: Koppel Collective, 157 Regent's Park Road, London NW1 8BB Ingredients: Guava pulp, sugar. Wrapped in bijao leaf (Calathea lutea). Allergens: No major allergens intentionally added. Vegetarian. About the artist Paola A. Sánchez is a Colombian art director and visual artist, and co-founder of Bogotá studio Espacio Crudo. Her work uses food and everyday objects to explore heritage, identity and the rituals of eating. The Table is part of Best Before, presented by WhiteShepherd Gallery and D Contemporary, 19–21 October. Credits Photography: Weiyu Lin Set design: Paola A. Sánchez & Francesca Roggero Food pieces: Paola A. Sánchez Floral artist: Francesca Roggero, Ferve Studio