Pinch of Us

Pinch of Us is more than a cooking class—it’s a participatory workshop series led by multidisciplinary artist LuLu Meng and collaborators. The project transforms the Westbeth Gallery into a communal studio, exploring how we connect through shared labor and sensory experience.

Rooted in LuLu’s family history and drawing from the Lunar New Year traditions of their Taiwanese upbringing, LuLu treats the dumpling not just as a symbol of prosperity, but as a vessel for the quiet intimacy and storytelling that can emerge when generations gather together to cook.

The heart of the workshop lies in the exchange between different cultures. LuLu will be joined by Duffy Fan Du (China)and Steven Mygind Pedersen (Denmark/UK), who will guide participants through the distinct culinary traditions. While the fillings and dough will be prepared in advance, the "art" begins when we work together:

• Cultural Exchange: Duffy and Steven will introduce traditional techniques and flavors from China and Italy. Duffy offers a window into her own heritage and family rituals, while Steven, a Denmark/UK-born artist and dedicated culinary enthusiast, shares his personal love and practiced hand at crafting Italian agnolotti.
• Creative Fusion: While honoring tradition, we also embrace the hybrid. Participants are encouraged to experiment, combining folding techniques and pairing unexpected folds with different fillings.
• Fluid Roles: Every participant is invited to shift between the roles of maker, server, guest, and host, becoming equal co-creators of the meal.
• A Family Tradition: In honor of LuLu’s grandfather, a penny will be hidden within one of the dumplings. Whoever finds it receives good luck for the year ahead!

Duffy Fan Du 杜帆 is a curator and writer based in New York. She founded Mandarin Express (ME), a nonprofit for Sinophone art, in 2025. She holds a degree in Anthropology from Hunter College, CUNY, and has held positions at MADA s.p.a.m, de Sarthe Gallery Beijing, and UCCA Center for Contemporary Art. Her curatorial practice engages research-based art, gastropolitics, and diasporic identity. Her writing has appeared on Artforum, Ocula, and ARTBBS. She was a curator-in-residency at Residency Unlimited in 2023.

Steven Mygind Pedersen is a transdisciplinary artist living between Brooklyn and Upstate New York. Pedersen makes art in disparate media forms and digital technologies, exploring how the digital reconfigures the coordinates of lived, embodied realities and understandings of time. Pedersen’s work has been exhibited and performed in venues including The Arnolfini (Bristol, UK), The Danish National Gallery (Copenhagen, Denmark), National Sawdust (Brooklyn, NY), and Zero Field Arts Center (Beijing, China).

LuLu invites participants to view the dumpling as a person. Just like us, dumplings come in a variety of shapes, textures, and appearances, with unique "fillings" and "flavors" inside.

This workshop does not strive for technical mastery or the need to make "perfect" dumplings. Instead, it embraces the playful and the imperfect. The artists believe that playfulness is a gentle entry point for dialogue and mutual care. This workshop is an invitation to slow down, be present, and explore the "multicultural self," what lies inside, what wraps around, and how we share this with others.

Pinch of Us @ Westbeth Gallery is generously supported by Sunview Luncheonette.

The broader Pinch of Us 2026 series is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Sculpture Space in Utica.

Disclaimer/ Liability Waiver

This is a cooking workshop operating in a private setting with participants from the public who will make food alongside each other for private consumption. By participating in this event, you acknowledge and waive certain risks, including but not limited to choking, food-borne illness, allergic reactions, and other potential injuries.

By registering, I agree that the organizers (Sunview Luncheonette and LuLu Meng) and the collaborators (Duffy Fan Du and Steven Pedersen) are not liable for any harm, injury, or damages resulting from my participation.

*If cost is prohibitive, please reach out directly to [email protected] for sliding scale options.

*Space offered first-come-first-served. Open to all ages, including children accompanied by caretakers.

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