A few years back Somerville photographer Yorgos Efthymiadis got the idea to turn his refrigerator into an art gallery. At Nibble we’re always interested in the intersection of food and art, so we thought it was time to ask Yorgos, who is represented by Gallery Kayafas, a few questions about his Curated Fridge project. Here, we chat with him about how he curates the outside and inside of his fridge, why he loves Somerville as a subject for his photography, and where to find the best feta cheese (given his name, we reckon he’s a good judge of such things).
Nibble: How did the Curated Fridge get started?
Yorgos: I had gathered prints of other photographers at a portfolio review and came home and put them on my fridge. I then took some pictures of my fridge and posted them on Facebook. My photography friends said “It’s like a gallery!” and “When’s the opening?” So that’s how it all started. I reached out to photographer Caleb Cole to be the first curator. Later, Karen Haas, the Lane Curator of Photography at the Museum of Fine Arts, came to an opening and said she’d be willing to curate a show. The more shows I did, the more appreciation I received from photographers.
Nibble: What sort of photographers does your fridge showcase?
Yorgos: It’s very international. I thought it would just be a small sort of thing. But it just kept growing. I’ve had people tell me, “You should get a sponsorship from a fridge company!” But I don’t want that. I think that would spoil it. It’s silly, quirky and something alternative. I never thought people from all over the world would submit. Now on Facebook, they often befriend each other; so I think the project does connect people.
Nibble: What’s it like passing through a gallery every time you go to grab milk or vegetables?
Yorgos: You see photos and you get inspired. It’s much better to look at than a bunch of bills. When I was doing the Photoville show down in New York, my fridge was empty and I couldn’t bare it; it was so white!
Nibble: So you’re an avid fan of Somerville when it comes to photographic subjects?
Yorgos: On Instagram I mainly post photos of Somerville. I’m from Greece and especially when I first came here, walking around Somerville as an immigrant taking photos was a nice way to learn about where I was, where I stood. It was a way to find my identity and see cultural differences. I still love walking around Somerville with my dog, documenting weird stuff. I especially like Tuesdays, when you can find lots of odd furniture out on the street.
Nibble: So how do you curate the inside of your fridge?
Yorgos: I’m a very organized guy. Everything is put in order. I’m kind of a freak, I guess. Because I’m Greek, there’s always lots of yogurt. I actually just came back from Greece, so I’m already missing the feta and the spanakopita…
Nibble: Where do you find good greek food around here? What restaurants do you like?
Yorgos: I think the best feta is at Trader Joe’s; it’s because it comes from a Greek company I know. As for restaurants, I like Sofra. But in general, when it comes to Greek food, here it just tastes different. If you’ve just had the real thing, you don’t want anything less.
Check out the closing reception of the Curated Fridge’s latest show, “Photoville,” this Sat, Nov., 5th, from 3-6pm. Address & more details here. To check out the photos in the latest show online, go here.
And below are a few of Yorgos’ Somerville shots from his Instagram feed. @yorgosphoto @thecuratedfridge
