Have a seat at my table

There was so much to be thankful for this year but also so much that dragged me down. Having clawed my way out of some of my darkest moments, and found those around me who could help lift me up, I now look to the light of this table in late November. It’s a place where I always feel welcome even though my family’s sitting at tables thousands of miles away. The closeness of friends, the love of my found-family on this still foreign coast, all mixed in with the aromas that have become a hallmark of this tradition. Come and share this with me, all of those whose families are out of reach of their fingertips, come be a part of mine. We may not be from here but we can celebrate the fact that we’re here now, and find the flashes of light that, at times, become so hard to see. Because there’s always something to be thankful for when you sit at my table… even if it’s just cats.

Have a seat at my table is a work that cuts to the core of my After Dinner series which aims to bring the viewer right to the table and share in the food and culture of the world. As an immigrant living so far from my family in South Africa, Thanksgiving has been an occasion that highlights the duality of my existence here. Every year I watch many of my friends go home to their families to share meals with their closest, reminding me that I chose to be so far from mine. But over the years, I’ve also been able to build a new kind of family of those who’ve also come so far in search of their futures. This piece is a celebration of a holiday that both reminds me of what I cannot have as well as everything I’ve built… all around a beautiful, chaotic table that brings us all together.

Have a seat at my table is a moment in time that we often overlook: the glorious drama and chaotic aftermath of a shared meal that was meticulously planned and thoughtfully decorated. I wanted to play on the edge of the abstract, as if the viewer is looking through tired but happy eyes, as another bottle of wine is opened.

Somehow, this messiness brings back memories of many years around versions of this table, and also extends an invitation to reflect on the simplest things we could be thankful for.