Crunch Time by Nathan Sibthorpe

A meat grinder with a white paper sticking out of its feeder with the word 'Vote' on it. At the other end is a mess of blue foam.

Presented by Darebin Arts Speakeasy, Next Wave and Metro Arts

Tough decisions must be made, but at the end of the day we’ve all got to eat. Crunch Time is a performative dinner party designed to model the processes of democracy. Seated around a projector-mapped dining table, participant diners use interactive tools to vote for every ingredient used in an elaborate meal.

Viewed via live-feed video from a nearby kitchen, a guest chef prepares real food in response to demand.

But we’re not using master chefs here – instead, each performance will nominate individuals from public positions of leadership. Politicians, artistic directors and CEOs will take their turn to cook up requests from the dining room with dangerously unpredictable results. Though the popular vote can be hard to swallow, the voice of the people will reign supreme.

Image by Sean Dowling

Next wave's logo in black text