Exhibition Review: Snack Witch Joni Cheung’s “fill full feel full” Is a Nourishing Meditation on Memory, Belonging, and Community

Joni Cheung | Eastern Edge Main Gallery | May 23 – July 5, 2025

Reviewed by Laurabel Mba

Walking into Joni Cheung’s fill full feel full at Eastern Edge Gallery feels like being welcomed into someone’s home: intimate, lived-in, and layered with meaning. The exhibition isn’t just something you see; it’s something you experience with your whole body. From stitched towels to communal playlists and cooking videos, it offers a complete sensory journey rooted in food, memory, and the longing for connection.

One of the first things that caught my eye was the row of Good Morning towels hanging throughout the gallery. Each one was permanently stained, yet clean, bearing the silkscreened greeting “Good Morning” in English and Chinese. I thought of them as napkins in Chinese buffets, but their purpose is far more layered. These towels are more than objects; they are deeply tied to labour, sustenance, and everyday care. They carry the quiet echoes of kitchens, noodle shops, and workspaces across the diaspora, where towels like these have wiped sweat, cradled buns, or covered bowls waiting to be served. 

That feeling of intimacy carries through to the videos where Joni invites us into the kitchen, walking us through recipes from Soba’s Corner. It’s not just about the food; it’s about how food moves through generations, through communities, and across time zones. Watching her cook feels like sitting across the counter from a friend who’s showing you how they care with each chop, stir, and steam; she’s offering a piece of her history.

The exhibit is a love letter to nourishment in all its forms: culinary, cultural, and emotional. It’s no surprise that the inspiration for the exhibit stemmed from the pandemic, a time when many of us were physically isolated from others but yearned for connection. Back then, recipes were more than instructions; they were rituals. Sending a song or sharing a meal became a way of saying, “I miss you” or “I’m still here.”

That thread is carried beautifully in the community-curated playlist. It’s a soundscape built not by one artist but by many voices, each adding a track that speaks to a moment or feeling. As you move through the exhibit, the playlist pulses in your memory or through your headphones, sometimes upbeat, sometimes reflective, but always grounding. It reminds us that art, like food and music, can collapse time and space. You don’t have to be in the same room to feel like you’re part of something bigger.

What struck me most was how reciprocal the exhibition felt. It doesn’t just ask you to witness; it invites you to participate. Joni doesn’t let you leave empty-handed. You walk out with recipes, stories, and songs. And in return, she asks you to leave something behind: a memory, a message, a song of your own. It’s an exchange that feels tender and intentional. A reminder that culture isn’t static. It’s something we make together, over and over again.

fill full feel full is exactly that: it fills you. With feelings. With warmth. With a sense of community, even in solitude. It reminds us that feeding each other is one of the oldest and most radical ways we care for each other. The things we sometimes overlook — napkins, recipes, playlists — can hold stories we didn’t realize we needed to remember.

This is a can’t-miss exhibition. Whether you’re a foodie, a culture lover, or just someone who loves a shared meal, there’s something here for you. Come for the recipes, stay for the stories, and leave feeling just a little more full.