ABOUT
TAKE = act without shame
LEAVE = share without condition
WHATEVAS = trust without apology
EATING IN PUBLIC (EIP) was founded in 2003 in Hawai‘i by Gaye Chan and Nandita Sharma to nudge a little space outside of the State and capitalist systems. Following the path of pirates and nomads, hunters and gathers, diggers and levelers, we gather at people’s homes, plant free food gardens on private and public land, set up free stores and other autonomous systems of exchange, generally without permission. Unlike Santa and the State, we give equally to the naughty and the nice. We do not exploit anyone’s labor nor offer any tax-deductions. We are, in all the word’s various definitions, free.
We have initiated over 1,000 projects. On rare occasions we will take part in art exhibitions in the forms of distribution centers or how-to demonstrations. We have done this at venues such as EFA Project Space (New York), Flux Factory (Bronx), Honolulu Museum of Art, San Jose Museum of Art, and Southern Exposure (San Francisco).
Our ideas are not original. We are simply continuing the work of the 17th century Diggers in remaking the commons. Join us if you want. Or better yet, take our ideas and run with them. As far, smart, and fast as you can.