Fabio has donated fantastic text on the event we created.....

*Cars users are big enemies of public space, especially in central locations where pedestrians are the majority and reclaim space to enjoy from the urban life. Big surfaces of urban central areas are devoted to parking space by means of parking cells rented to car users. Of course, the cars users have also right to the city, but a democratic city is supposed to serve to the interest of the big majority (or the minorities when they are vulnerable), and serving to the public should be the reason of public space. None the less this is rented for private use and when the public want to use this privatised public space, it is not possible, even paying for its use. If the rule is the one of commerce, who pays should have the right to buy and enjoy for the object or service that has been sold.

Why are cars so carefully protected by the ‘public authority’? are car users a vulnerable minority in public space? It is ‘the public’ just a discourse that is manipulated by private interest?

Those are the questions that the public opinion should answer form this case: *

this text was supposed to go into the previous article in an introduction part, but i used it like annex....i just like his text.

Is public space for public?

Again, urban guerilla cooking bombed on a street. It was on April 2nd, between 7pm to 11pm.

It is a part of youth capital program in Rotterdam where our city is hosting young generation from 13 different cities in Europe. As a part of this, we were invited to do a project.
The location was in front of old foto museum at Witte de With straat, it is an icon of cultural street of Rotterdam.
The plan was to highjack the parking spot by obtaining the regular parking tickets. We have laid out wooden chip as an urban carpet, as well as the pink boarder to make the clear boundary to ensure the safety for biker and user of the high jacked area.

Foto 01 : before starting, our supply just arrived around 5pm.

First annoying residence complained that they have lost 24 parking permission of this area and this is outregious act. Well, she also forget that because of much of cultural activities, she benefits being fun living on witte de with straat, because it constantly shows up a culture. But it was pity that she could not promote such an bottom up and welcoming art project. I think she was quite emotional but in a way very selfish. But I also wanted to make harmony with people in neighborhood that I invited for sushi and soup.

Next a dutch girl came close by and started to talk to us with wondering face, so we explained about our action, she was so excited about this and even offer a help. This was more my picture from the beginning and i am happy that happen.

Foto 02 : the girl on a bike was very excited about our action!

Foto 03 : over view ©Taru Arnkil

Foto 04 : finished layout...now we were ready to go but....

30min later, just after finishing up the basic layout, the police showed up and ask us for permission.
The commission was granted 10 days before the action date, I knew that it was not possible to make permission but wanted to go for parking ticket method where many cities are experimented like NYC. It is such a shame that they didn’t give us any flexibility. It was such a shame for Witte de With straat as icon of public art, it shows the segment of rather planned and manipulated art street. It was such a shame that now these next generation kids might think about Rotterdam as a boring cities.

Foto 05: this was after clearing up on the street. ©Michael Bom

In the end, we had to move inside. I gave a presentation for how I wanted to approach, participants really understood the potential of it.

Foto 06 : taji giving a presentation ©Michael Bom

By the way, we named this UGC as GH, and the content of this presentation is here :  presenatation PDF

• nigiri sushi and seaweed salad as starter
• stone Fish soup : feel the connection
• Sushi workshop : feel the nature
• Moroccan bread sandwich…dough is truly handmade, not machine made : feel the detail
• Kiwi : feel the world, Rotterdam as a European port for fruits

----------------

These menu aim to emphasize Hand craft, or using hand as a base point, then expanded into the idea of builidng communty and friendship.

Foto 07: open up the ceremony ©Michael Bom

Foto 08: now let’s go ©Michael Bom

Foto 09: non stop action ©Michael Bom

Foto 10 : sushi workshop ©Michael Bom

Event landed nicely to the ending but….Students never wanted to leave….it is great isn’t it?

Foto 11: look at excited people ©Michael Bom

We were delighted in a sense, thanks to many enthusiastic company, organization, people to support this idea, it was Fatboy which is the huge cushion to illuminate street life more exciting, Evisu jeans has provided the costume to fit street illumination in funky feeling, and Rotterdam city cooperation who provided nature material for urban picnic feels. OBR as of City of Rotterdam Development Corporation is the host client of this UGC project.

UGC always would like to corroborate with partner who could excited for same idea. Finally action was completed, we wanted to toast "Kanpai" thanks to all particpants and crew members were from left : Taji the chef, Matilda Bahneva, Fabio Hernandez Palacio, MASAtoshi Oka, Wing-Ni Lam

Foto 12: crew member


ciao

Happy new years first of all.
At the end of last year, at De Fabriek, there was “the 7th day” events taken place. De fabriek often follows the guerilla style activity, or we call it very much underground events. Surrounded by concrete interior, it is cold inside. Here Taji has tested on WoM: Walking on a Moon, you put your foot inside of warm water with Citron in it, then you will get served with a food. After all, your foot is very warm and light, it feels like Walking on a Moon. WoM also sounds like Warm so that it is a cute name.

Unlike it is very much donw on an earth feeling, it also is promoted by the high tech device called nano bubble device. This tiny bubble which is less than 1 micro meter is an next generation magic item. It is not only help to make your skin clean and shine, but also it is scientifically proven that it will promote extra blood circulation by stimulating the cells. Let’s say Nanobubble gives good massage to every single cell of your foot.

This is a proto type and De fabriek organization think about doing guerilla action for amazing surprise, creating warm Oasis in the cold winter city of Rotterdam.

At the last year, Taji visited home sweet home in Japan, what is the most up to dated guerilla action in normal life there is very unique and different with our standard from Holland since Japan is surrounded by highly matured food culture. So what makes guerilla there? Fishing is one of the way, especially when you do strange type fishing, through next to big ships deep inside of Tokyo bay for small octopus fishing. My Tokyo boys shows the way. Japanese has strong spirit of eating Raw as of Sushi and Sashimi, and my friend is eating it in no problem. He told me there was very plane taste or no taste. This small octopus will get deep flied and eaten at his home for that dinner. 

oh eating eating eating and moving moving moving on a tong 
By the way, this was at the end of Nov 2008. It was rather at the end of summer. Winter time in Japan is great in a sense, it is many days blue skys there unlike here in grey sky Holland.

Finally Go Green Gorillaz youtube is up. Taji showed up at the end of this video, so enjoy soul hiphop :)
Original link is here.

This report is a bit outside of UGC since it is a camping edition. I will show you a example of how I would make food at outside. I hope that you get it as a tip, very easy way to bring fresh food outside.

Series of photos shown, I have made the set of soup with min equipment. Simply everything fits inside of regular backpack. Outside of the photos, I brought the bread, bottle of wine, and paper towel with it, certainly makes the time more precious.
Water is always extra, for cleaning up and drinking just plane.
Now ready to cook.

Ultra mini Cutting board


Paper napkin is used like this.


Cook after 20min and ready to be served.

Hope that you invite your own style of cooking outside.
Soredewa mata

On August 6th, another UGC was kicked off. This UGC was unique in a sense, it will be brought up to the Youtube video on a net as a final form. please click here.
Taji tagged up with RNW concept design and promoted for the city of Rotterdam. The City theme for this year is Green, where city likes lots of green. The final party video shoot was in front of harbor area. Unlike the weather focast, it becomes sunny and warm day. Next day was heavy heavy rain, so we feel very lucky.
Taji prepared Veggie based Menu this time

• Bruschetta (tomato and basil) on bread
• Sushi
• Vegi and Shrimp BBQ
• Lettuce Tempura
• Bunch of Fruit
• Ginger lemonade (thanks to Sander)



Setting up time, by the way, these huge pumpkin are like 30 kg each almost.



Kitchen is on top of this concrete plunk. I don’t think designer thought about becoming serious kitchen. Each plunk has fruit bars, Banana, Melon, orange, and apple. Next to me is Wouter who looks a bit strong on this photo but he is super relaxed guy.



During the time of shooting with Rotterdam hip hop clues with 3 pink gorillas ????, there name is sweet, sour and spicy and they had such a funky faces based on each theme. Wait until you see it on a video.



After the video shooting, it was cozy for all of us. The night going to end with relaxed mood.