Call for Participants: The Water Lentil Trials
A Focus Group for Latent Swamp
Thursday, April 23, 2026
PAVED Arts, 424 20th St. W. Saskatoon
As part of the exhibition Latent Swamp, artist Kelly Andres invites small groups of participants to take part in a paid Water Lentil Trial: a guided tasting and discussion exploring duckweed as speculative food, ecological infrastructure, and cultural threshold.
Water lentil (Lemna minor), often called duckweed, is one of the smallest and fastest growing flowering plants on Earth. It has been studied as a high-protein food source and as a bioremediation plant. Yet for many of us, it remains unfamiliar, or even unthinkable, as food.
This session invites curiosity. No expertise is required.
Participants will:
- Taste small, safely prepared samples of water lentil in a variety of edible forms
- Engage in a facilitated conversation about perception, sustainability, and food futures
- Reflect on how cultural narratives, local ecologies, and place-based knowledge shape what we consider edible
Session length: Approximately 75 minutes
Session times: 12:00 PM, 2:30 PM, 5:00 PM (please arrive 10 minutes early)
Honorarium: $75 (e-transfer after session)
Date: April 23, 2026
Location: PAVED Arts, 424 20th Street West, Saskatoon
Please note: Sessions will be documented through video and photography as part of the artist’s ongoing research. As documentation is integral to the project, participants will be asked to sign a consent form and select from a range of consent options, including non-identifying forms of documentation such as materials, hands, or voice only, without the face appearing on camera. Documentation may be used for research, grant and funding applications, presentations, exhibitions, and related non-commercial promotional materials.
Please advise of any dietary restrictions or food allergies when registering.
Participation is limited to six people per session.
Fill out the form below to sign up.
