The Funnest Room in the House: Kitchen Table Talk

This event has been programmed alongside Anna Maria Nabirye's immersive installation, The Funnest Room in the House.

Join artist Anna Maria Nabirye and Rebecca Adams to share an evening of conversation and food as they discuss the importance of recording and archiving the many stories from the African and Caribbean diaspora and the creative ways such memories can be shared. Rebecca draws on her wide-ranging experience as archivist responsible for the Stuart Hall Archive Collection and her particular interest in decolonising archives, archival representation, community archives and access.

A beautiful meal inspired by Nabirye's childhood and prepared by local Uganda caterers Swahili Good will be provided along with refreshments.

You can find out more about the past and future of the project and read Anna Maria's blog on The Funnest Room in the House project page.

Artist Anna Maria Nabirye and Archivist Rebecca Adams would like to invite you to bring a meaningful object that tells a part of your kitchen story. It might be a recipe on a scrap of paper handed down by a family member, a wooden spoon or a well seasoned pot that has outlived generations, an ingredient that reminds you of your ancestral homeland or a fridge magnet from trip back home. These will be displayed during the course of the evening with an opportunity to hear some of the stories behind them - those words joining the fabric of the installation.

Inspired by Anna Maria Nabirye’s childhood memories of home cooked Ugandan food prepared by her mother, Joy.

Featuring Uganda’s green banana staple - matooke, chicken pilau, vegetarian and vegan stews with chapatis and salad relish. There will be something sweet for dessert and a warming tea to end the night. Suitable for Vegetarians, Vegans, Meat-eaters, Gluten free folks alike.

A full menu will be sent by email ahead of the event.

The meal will be prepared in a kitchen that contains Gluten. 

Rebecca Adams is an Archivist at the University of Birmingham responsible for the Stuart Hall Archive Collection and works alongside Patricia Noxolo, Nick Beech and Rebecca Roach on the Stuart Hall Archive Project.

She previously worked at The London Archives where she was the project archivist responsible for the Africa Centre Collection and the Mollie Hunte Collection. She was also a part of the International Council on Archives (ICA) New Professional Programme 2022-2023.

Rebecca’s key interests stem from her African-Caribbean background which include decolonising archives, community archives, archival representation, access, and the work of black archivists in the UK. Rebecca has also provided a chapter in New Histories of African and Caribbean People in Britain ed. by Hakim and published in 2023.

Fiction Forming Fact – films on food (Cancelled)
9 June, 7.00pm
Towner Cinema

Can fiction film & television give us clues to what Black British kitchens of the past looked like?

Long Table Conversation
13 June, 11.00am
Studio 1 (Ground floor)
Free, booking advised

Join us for a Long Table - an open, participatory conversation inspired by The Funnest Room in the House.