Good street food is a work of art and both will be on display tonight in front of the Urban Culture Project's Paragraph Gallery. Between 6 and 9 p.m., the S'mores Cart raises funds and awareness for artists who want to help the community through public and interactive pieces.
The brainchild of Kurt Flecksing and Sean Starovitz, who met as undergraduates at the Kansas City Art Institute two
years ago (Starowitz graduates this May with a degree in
interdisciplinary arts), the cart uses an open, wood-burning fire attached to a rolling S'mores prep station.
"A S'more is a handmade, American DIY tradition -- a backyard campfire tradition," says Flecksing.
"I roast, he squishes marshmallows and chocolate together as I pull away the roasting sticks -- we've perfected the art of making S'mores," adds Starowitz.
The S'mores Cart is a fundraiser for the S'mores Grant, which is meant to support artists who are using shared public spaces and nontraditional approaches to call attention to social issues.
"We're interested in public art -- art that creates an environment as opposed to simply being a part of the traditional commercial environment," says Flecksing.
This is the third time that S'mores Cart will be in use. Flecksing and
Starowitz have identified two artists to receive grants: Theo Bunch,
who has created a mobile chicken coop to raise awareness about backyard
chicken farming in The Gypsy Bird Project; and Matt Erlub, the artist responsible for the Look Bike sculpture at the corner of 41st and Main.
While the artists behind the S'mores Cart are thinking about upgrading the cart to meet the licensing requirements for street vending, for now they are focused on making sure the cart adheres to city codes and their food licenses are up to date. City officials as well as passersby tend to take an interest in an open flame on the sidewalk.
Meanwhile, Starowitz says, "There is a hole in the market for S'mores and I think we fill that." The S'mores allow him and Flecksing to engage with the public. It's natural to talk over a campfire -- even if it happens to be downtown.
"Ultimately this is a very silly way for us to have a very serious discussion about what we all do to support the arts," says Flecksing.
Donations of S'more-making supplies are welcome.
[Images courtesy of Kurt Flecksing and Sean Starowitz]
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