Being in nature should come naturally to us. A soothing salve to the strictures of society, it provides us an escape from the chaos of culture. Yet for many, the outdoors is an alien place. A history of exclusion has left nature heavily codified by heteronormative ideals of what is ‘natural’ or not.
Join Barney (@barneypau) and Hannah (@hannah.mary.m) for an experimental look at the ‘unnatural’ naturalness of nature; straying from the path to take a queer walk through the woods, have a theoretical ponder, and wonder why our perceptions of the natural world are what they are.
Blurring the boundaries between image-making and eating, 'Unnatural' Nature: A Work-in-Progress Tasting Menu, hosted by Have a Butchers, explores the confluence between Hannah and Barney's practices in foraging, photography, and food. Expect fermented rhubarb champagne, edible photographs, foraged foods, and more in this experimental evening of gastronomic photography.
Each guest will recveive a limited-edition riso-printed publication which will examine the event in detail, including a look into the theories that inspired it, and the processes that made it.
This collaboration is inspired by Barney's article The Preserve Journal, published with Hannah's photos, which explores their shared interests in nature and how this intersects with their identity. For them, queerness isn’t solely about sexual identity, but also how they interact with natural environments: they're 'queer' in the antiquated sense: they're 'odd.'
Hannah practices sustainable photography, an analogue development process which—rather than relying on harsh chemicals—uses natural, often forageable ingredients high in a compound called 'polyphenols,' such as mint, rosemary, wild garlic, etc. Similarly, Barney's cooking relies on whole, locally-sourced, foraged, and fermented foods to promote a more sustainable way of eating. As such, the menu Barney has developed for this event uses the same ingredients which Hannah uses in her development process.
Arranged on a themed tablescape, guests will be invited to ‘forage’ for their food throughout the evening while enjoying Hannah's photography.
Tickets are affordably priced at £15 to encourage a broader audience, with ‘pay-what-you-can’ tickets made available for whom general admission is out of budget. Ticket sales are aimed to cover the cost of this event, so 3 differet optional ‘Donation’ add-on's of £5, £15, and £20 allow those keen to help support Barney and Hannah's practices to pay more.
All of Hannah's hand-developed photos on display will be for sale at between £80-120.
This experimental ‘work-in-progress’ event will hopefully be the first of an ongoing collaborative effort between Barney and Hannah. Further down the line, they hope to hold supper clubs and events to explore the confluence of their practices.