Subodh Gupta (India) and Jeong Kwan (South Korea)

During the closing days of the Biennial, Korean Buddhist monk and chef Jeong Kwan joins Indian artist Subodh Gupta for a special culinary programme tracing the deep historical and philosophical connections between Korean temple cuisine and the vegetarian traditions of Bihar, the northeastern Indian region where Buddhism first took shape and where Gupta was born.

Bihar is home to Bodh Gaya, where Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment, and to the ancient monastic university of Nalanda, one of the most important centres of Buddhist scholarship in Asia. It was from Nalanda that the 7th-century Buddhist monk and scholar Xuanzang, travelling from China, journeyed across Central Asia—passing through Bukhara and Samarkand—to study Buddhist philosophy and monastic practice at its source in Bihar. His writings would later shape East Asian Buddhist thought, including traditions deeply influential in Korea. This shared lineage provides a historical and spiritual thread that conceptually links Jeong and Gupta’s collaboration to Uzbekistan itself.

Korean temple cuisine, as practiced by Jeong Kwan, is grounded in principles of non-violence, mindfulness, fermentation, and seasonal balance. In Bihar, vegetarian culinary heritage likewise reflects Buddhist influences, emphasising simplicity, nourishment, and the sanctity of all living beings. Staples such as lentils, rice, seasonal greens, pickles, and naturally fermented preparations echo the aesthetic and ethical logic found in Korean temple food.

For the closing programme, Jeong Kwan incorporates kimchi that she began preparing during the opening days of the Biennial—slowly transforming over the course of the exhibition. This long-fermented ingredient embodies the temporal rhythms of spiritual practice: patience, attentiveness, and transformation. Their inclusion at the conclusion of the Biennial highlights the continuity between process and result, seed and fruition—mirroring the journey of Xuanzang, the evolving landscapes of Buddhist exchange, and the long arc of cultural and culinary memory.

Together, Jeong Kwan and Subodh Gupta present a living expression of shared heritage, reconnecting Asia’s cultural histories as a continuing and breathing conversation.

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Neungi Mushroom Dumplings with Local Vegetable Salad
Pyoho (Shiitake) Mushrooms Braised in Rice Syrup
Spicy Dried Persimmon and Cucumber
Veg Biryani
One Vegetable Curry
Baingan Bhaja
Raita
Halwa

Price: 950 000 UZS

Attendance is by reservation, as places are limited.