Preserve proposes a deeply place‑based artistic inquiry into food sovereignty and sustaining cultural knowledge. Lead by artist Marian Abboud, this program invites community to share and learn cooking, growing and eating practices together at PAS.
Kicking off in Granville, Preserve will reflect the food histories of Arab diaspora and Western Sydney's agricultural past and future. The voices of local community will be foregrounded through a series of workshops, talks, screenings, performances and interactive gatherings. Marian will curate a program that travels through PAS Granville, the Sustainability Art Garden and into the backyards and kitchens of the neighbourhood.
Each Preserve will be documented through photography, writing and oral testimonies to build a local archive. The preservation of culturally diverse cooking and gardening practices will be mindfully stored in a publication, digital hub and community seed bank. The program is an opportunity for local creatives, growers, elders, cooks and knowledge holders to share skills and stories, fostering intergenerational exchange, strengthened networks and recorded resources for the future.
Preserve is a slow program that aims to build relationships and connections over time. Honouring the timelines of trees, plants and human migration, this program hopes to "move at the speed of trust". Growing a space for comfortable sharing and experimentation with concepts like agroecology, inclusive food systems and the garden bed as creative material and artistic asset without rushed outcomes.
Image: Marian Abboud leading a pickling workshop, 2024. Photo: Anna Kucera.