Today, in the face of global food shortages, humans need to re-examine our food sources. One presenting itself as a sustainable and nutritious option is the unassuming bat. These flying mammals have been a delicacy in some cultures for centuries, but this ancient dish is often viewed with disgust in the Western world.
Yet with their numbers declining, is it problematic to consume bats? Should they instead be revered for their vital impact on our ecosystem? How do we navigate notions of delicacy, disgust and interspecies empathy as we radically rethink the norms of global consumption?
Set in an imagined night market where bat species are extinct, Bat Night Market intersects performance, speculative design and science. We invite visitors to celebrate these enigmatic animals in an evening of discussions, games, tastings and sensory experiences.
Bat Night Market is an international collaboration between designer UK artist Robert Charles Johnson and artist Kuang-Yi Ku, Taiwan/Netherlands.
Co-commissioned by LIFT and Taipei Performing Arts Center, Presented at Science Gallery London part of King’s College London.
Artists
Kuang-Yi Ku
Robert Johnson
Credits
Lead Artist Kuang-Yi Ku
Lead Artist Robert Johnson
Dramaturg Ding-Yun Huang
Food Artist Rain Wu
Soundscape Design Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Co-Commissioned by LIFT and Taipei Performing Arts Center.
Presented at Science Gallery London.
Image credit © Rain Wu. This is an AI-assisted image created with the support of Midjourney.
Funded by ARTWAVE and the British Council as part of the International Collaboration Grants, and the National Culture and Arts Foundation (NCAF).
Supported by Cockayne Grants for the Arts, a donor advised fund at the London Community Foundation & The London Community Foundation (LCF). Research and development supported by Science Gallery London, part of King’s College London, and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the UK. Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Bao, Goldsmiths University of London, and Taipei Performing Arts Centre (TPAC)
Supported by Garrick Charitable Trust and The Leche Trust.
Science Gallery London
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FAQs
Will visitors need to eat bats as part of the experience?
No, all food served will be vegan. A list of ingredients will be provided.
Do I need to bring money to spend at the market?
No
Is there seating?
Yes, there will be some seating