Venusian Kitchen

The Venusian Kitchen series is a love story about our daily food. This story covers the timeline between the presentation of the Paris Accord in 2015, and the Climate Conference of Katowice 2018. During the Paris Accord the discussion, besides numbers on energy footprints, emission goals, and financial consequences for the various participants, is also about the importance of the integrity of eco-systems. It appears to be quite challenging to get all political interests and agendas synchronized on this subject. For me, this calls one thing into question: what could be my personal contribution? On a website initiated by the Dutch government with practical and sustainable tips I read: “food and beverages cause 20 to 30 percent of our climate tax”, and that “it makes a difference to eat less meat, and avoid wasting food”.

Venusian Kitchen is a subtle story, about “la force tendre” in life, about creative power, that which life continuously passes on. To recognize this power, in ourselves, in all life around us. It is about my own responsibility, to take good care of our earth. This idea let me to Venus, goddess of love and protector of gardens and wineries. She invites you to see our food as our first connection with nature. Every day - gifts from nature on our plate. Seeing the food you eat as your connection with nature, provides new chances every day to take good care of our planet. I feel the urge to connect the food you eat with the great environmental questions of our time.

Venusian Kitchen is a personal story. I decided to direct my photo camera towards myself, towards my family and people close to me. I believe that every important change begins with a personal decision. I wanted to make something straight up against the big climate change conferences. Instead of going by rulings from above, or trending food fads, I wanted to create a story that touches people on a personal level, to inspire their own personal movements.