Masa da Masa

Masa da Masa, started functioning in October 2022, as a multi-purposed gathering culture project, aiming to create meaningful encounters, using tables (tr. masa), hospitality and food culture as a medium. Researching and archiving the various new practices of gatherings, dialogues and human relationships, Masa da Masa curates inclusive series of table-gathering events hosted by different hosts and transdisciplinary themes each time. Different from a culinary-prioritized occasion, in Masa da Masa each host cooks for the guests (up to 20 people), instead of catering or a professional chef (exceptions well accepted). The gathering place can be a home, a public place, a theatre, a park or even a Turkish bath. It is a movable project, mainly focused on the versatile outcomes of the experience. In a sociological context food, cooking and hospitality are convivial tools to bring different people together, from different generations, backgrounds and sociocultural perspectives. Holding space for different communities to dive into significant topics, practices, or even performances, Masa da Masa’s’ hosts and themes are always particular. Artists, writers, farmers, scientists, winemakers, cooks, philosophers, students, NGOs, activists, gardeners, local experts, pedagogists, anyone can be a host and curate the theme of the night together with Masa da Masa team. The gathering can function as an atelier, a simple dinner, a picnic, a musical performance, a screening, a play, a debate and so on. We even curated a silent dinner where people only could communicate by writing on little letter papers. It is an open space to share thoughts, experience another type of eating culture, discuss, learn, experience, network and be in a state of safe togetherness. Archiving and looking back to previous gatherings is in the upcoming process of the project, as sociological research and thruput towards the era.