The son of a Thai diplomat, Rirkrit Tiravanija was born in Argentina and grew up in Ethiopia, Thailand, and Canada before moving to the US in 1984, and settling in New York in 1990. In this work, the artist converted a gallery into a kitchen, where he served rice and Thai curry for free. It is a gesture of welcome to friends and strangers alike: visitors do not just look at the art, they become a part of it.