The residency at ROEM is a new initiative from the artist collective of the same name, ROEM Leiden. The members of the collective are all young artists from Leiden aged 18 to 30 years old. They are a multi-disciplinary artist collective looking for ways to better the future of the creative field through the arts.
In November 2022, Jessy had the opportunity to become a temporary resident of the wagon located outside of the collective’s studio on the Middelstegracht. She finished the first series of her photography project titled How did the pandemic affect our relationship with food? and exhibited her works in the wagon. The first series of diptychs focuses on Leiden residents, portraying themselves and the food dish that represents the changes they have experienced in their relationship with food during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the closing event, attendants could view the new works while enjoying a warm cup of haamcha, a Hakka-Chinese soup made from loose green tea leaves (bi luo chun), peanuts, sesame seeds, and other flavourful ingredients. Read more about the dish on Jessy’s article on food on ikeetcultuur.nl (in Dutch).

The haamcha resembles her food journey during COVID-19, as she dove into the food history of the family recipes she made from a young age. Read more about How did the pandemic affect our relationship with food? here.
Sleutelstad Leiden also published an article on the photo project and event. Are you curious about the behind the scenes of this residency? Please check Jessy’s highlight on the ROEM Residency Instagram.



