Workshop, August 1, 2024, Family Services (University of Klagenfurt)
Workshop, August 2, 2024, Family Services (University of Klagenfurt)
With young children, as part of the University of Klagenfurt’s Family Services summer program
In cooperation with Steffi Parlow (workshop leader)
As part of her exhibition Goods only upon request. Window in progress, Steffi Parlow invited a group of kindergarten children to make culinary memories tangible. Using simple salt dough—a material that references both the sculptural and culinary aspects of her work—the children shaped their very own favorite dishes: tiny pizzas, imaginatively topped slices of bread, colorful fruit and vegetable platters, or a beloved cookie. The focus was not only on the craftsmanship involved, but also on the conversation about food as a space of emotionally charged experience.
While modeling, the children exchanged stories about smells, tastes, and family rituals. In this way, Parlow’s concept of embodied memory became accessible in a child-friendly setting. The finished miniatures were displayed in the kindergarten and could be exchanged among the children, in line with the exhibition’s conceptual framework.
The workshop combined creativity, sensory experience, and the principle of mutual exchange that characterizes Parlow’s artistic practice. At the same time, it supported fine motor skills, expressive ability, and social interaction. This allowed the children to gain an immediate and playful access to the core themes of the exhibition.