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Friday, March 29, 2024

The image used by the artist Kanarinka to pitch installing The World’s Largest Potluck on Cambridge Street one Sunday.

There’s a lot to like about Catherine D’Ignazio’s suggestion for Cambridge Street. It’s an art installation, a record-setting event and good eating.

It’s The World’s Largest Potluck Ever.

D’Ignazio, who works as the artist Kanarinka, responded to a call to create a site-specific proposal for the Cambridge Street Corridor — a one-mile stretch of Cambridge Street spanning Inman Square to Lechmere. Her suggestion is one of 10 finalists on display through June 11 at the Cambridge Arts Council gallery.

Among the other proposals:

A three-month installation of reflective, abstract, soft sculpture “birds” suspended in six large groups from lampposts by Cambridge artist Carolina Aragon.

Cambridge Street Go Bike, an initiative by Cambridge-based Yuna Kim to increase accessibility to the street by creating 28 bike racks referring thematically to the businesses there.

Plumbing Perspectives, a permanent sculpture series at seven sites along the street by Somerville-based Hannah Verlin. It will feature 12 brightly colored, interactive sculptures made from plumbing components. Using simple acoustics and optical tricks, the sculptures will give different experiences of Cambridge Street.

Here’s how the Boston-based iKatun arts organization pitches the potluck project:

The Guinness record for the “Largest Potluck Party” currently stands at 602 dishes. The World’s Largest Potluck Ever would stage a mile-long potluck dinner on the Cambridge Street Corridor in an attempt to break the record, showcase the diversity of the businesses and residents, build community and display a dazzling array of home-cooked meals. For one Sunday afternoon, the whole street would be transformed into a giant neighborhood block party with food, performers and fun.

An April 5 reception featured, pulled pork, steamed buns, noodles and pickled vegetables from Cambridge resident James Hung, who added meaning to D’Ignazio’s idea.

“Cambridge Street is my marketplace for fresh killed poultry, sashimi-quality fish, exotic spices and Portuguese bread,” Hung said. “When I don’t feel like cooking, the restaurants keep me well fed and excited about food trends, but classic and cutting-edge. As I stroll down Cambridge Street, I can still surprise myself by finding new food discoveries and hidden culinary gems.”

“The World’s Largest Potluck Ever” and nine other ideas for the Cambridge Street Corridor public arts commission are on display as “The Ideas Exhibition” through June 11 at the Cambridge Arts Council gallery, in the City Hall Annex at 344 Broadway.

This article is the product of press releases.