event

Coffee Table: Ceremonies of Hospitality

Join us for a ceremony of making Arabic coffee or Qahwa قهوة on Saturday 3 February to celebrate the current exhibition Fonāna in collaboration with Common Ground.

The making of the green aromatic drink - Arabic coffee or Qahwa قهوة -, is steeped in time-honored traditions, each playing a role in shaping this beverage's unique flavor and cultural importance. Brace yourself for an immersive sensory journey through the art of roasting, grinding, spicing, blending, boiling, and the culminating ceremonial moment of serving. As you savor your coffee and indulge in a bite of date, a heartwarming conversation about memories of hospitality and its connections with food traditions and social etiquette unfolds.

About Common Ground

Common Ground is a collaborative artistic project started by Anna Celda and Saja Amro. Using the dining table and the kitchen as research laboratories, CG creates a caring and comforting space to delve into topics like female labor, inherited knowledge, and culinary histories. Inspired by indigenous food cultures and traditions, the duo responds to the individualistic and isolating eating habits of modern life by immersing audiences in sensory experiences that spark reflection and connection while offering foodscapes of indulgence and abundance.  

Salwa Foundation, March 2022 © Common Ground

Discover more:

Arabic calligraphy workshop

Parallel to this event, we're hosting an Arabic calligraphy workshop taught by master Mohamad Badenjki. Surrounded by art works in the exhibition, you will learn more about the history of the craftmanship and design and execute lettering with a reed pen, homemade ink and paper.  

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Middle East Culture Market 2023 © Matthijs Zondervan

About Contemporary female artists from Saudi Arabia – Fonāna

The Salad Zone © Sarah Abu Abdallah / Greenbox Museum

Foam proudly presents the exhibition Fonāna (فنانة), meaning ‘female artist’ in Arabic. This showcase delves into the world of eight contemporary female artists from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, capturing their candid perspectives from within the nation. It offers a unique perspective on a country that, by Western standards, is often seen as conservative and of which the accessibility to outsiders is sometimes underestimated.

This exhibition was made possible with thanks to the Greenbox Museum.


Labour of Love, W139 Hosts, September 2023 © Common Ground

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Coffee Table: Ceremonies of Hospitality