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Digital artwork that says
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett
By Henry James Garrett

We Keep Each Other Fed

As the UK is gripped by the cost-of-living crisis, writer, illustrator and creator Henry James Garrett explores the notion of community and interdependence in his work We Keep Each Other Fed.

Produced in partnership with Creative Estuary.
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In We Keep Each Other Fed, artist Henry James Garrett (This Book Will Make You Kinder) reflects on the rising rate of food poverty in the UK and reinforces the importance and power of mutual aid.

Using humorous, subversive illustrations to highlight the value of reciprocal care, Henry adorned three community pantries in East Kent with his signature artwork. The wonderful collaborating organisations, Our Kitchen – Our Food Club in Margate, Canterbury Umbrella Centre’s Social Health Café, and Dover Pantry, all have dynamic, collaborative approaches to community building, not only offering affordable or free healthy food, but also strongly contributing to community-led placemaking, building community connections and promoting an ongoing sense of kinship and reciprocal care.

We commissioned Margate Films to tell the story of the people behind this vital community space, and through Henry’s artwork explore what interdependence means, day to day, for those who work in and use this community kitchen. You can watch the video and learn more here.

Available now – limited edition merchandise designed by Henry is now on sale, with all proceeds going to the Dover Pantry, Our Kitchen in Margate and Canterbury Umbrella’s Social CafĂ©. Click here to learn more and reserve your bundle.

I couldn’t have come up with a more fitting commission, and organisation to work with, had I sat down and tried to wish it up myself. All my art is aimed at making the world a kinder place, and I’m energised by the opportunity Futures of Care presents – particularly in this moment – to look forward, and to locate and imagine building on those practices that might make for more caring, resilient communities. It’s from community practices of mutual care that I believe the political possibilities we desperately need, will grow. Henry James Garrett
An illustration of an anthropomorphised tin of soup saying
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett
An illustration of a group of four anthropomorphised tomatoes connected by a vine. One is saying
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett
Illustration of a group of anthropomorphised carrots, some orange and some purple. One is saying
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett
An illustration of an anthropomorphised jar of jam saying
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett
Digital artwork of multicoloured text reading
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett
Digital artwork of multicoloured text reading
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett
Digital artwork of multicoloured text reading
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett
Digital artwork of multicoloured text reading
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett
Digital artwork of multicoloured text reading
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett
Digital artwork of multicoloured text in wavy lines with the text
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett
Digital artwork showing all of the different phrases included in this image gallery together in one image.
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett
An illustration of anthropomorphised foods, including a packet of dried pasta shells, broccoli, an ear of corn, a group of mushrooms, a cauliflower, an apple and an aubergine.
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett
An illustration of anthropomorphised foods, including half a loaf of bread in a clear plastic bag, a green bottle of liquid with a yellow lid, a wedge of cheese with holes in it, a carton of juice and a pack of 6 yogurts.
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett
Illustrations of various anthropomorphised foods, animals, a tree, soil, sun and clouds. There are criss-crossing lines connecting all of the foods, animals and other objects together. A piglet is saying
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett
Part of a digital artwork showing illustrations of anthropomorphised fruits and vegetables and animals. There are dozens of criss-crossing lines drawn between all of the foods and animals, as well as lines disappearing off the edges of the image. A piglet has a speech bubble saying
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett

The artworks were installed in the three food kitchens between 18 and 24 May 2022.

Photo of a shop unit front window, with a large banner reading
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett © People United
Photo of a vinyl decal on a wall, a group of four anthropomorphised tomatoes connected by a vine. One is saying
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett © People United
Photo of a vinyl decal on a wall, a group of four anthropomorphised tomatoes connected by a vine. One is saying
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett © People United
Photo of two smiling people standing in a community centre, gesturing upwards to a wall with a sign saying
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett © People United
Photo of vinyl decals on a wall. At the top one says
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett © People United
Photo of vinyl decals on a wall. There are small decals of anthropomorphised cauliflower and corn, and a large decal of a pot of jam saying
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett © People United
Photo of vinyl decals on a wall. There are small decals of anthropomorphised cauliflower and corn, and a large decal of a pot of jam saying
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett © People United
Photo of vinyl decals on a wall, they are anthropomorphised broccoli and carrots. One of the carrots is saying
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett © People United
Photo of a vinyl decal on a wall, saying
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett © People United
Photo of a vinyl decal on a wall, a group of anthropomorphised mushrooms, mostly smaller with one large mushroom in the centre.
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett © People United
photo of a community pantry set up similar to a small shop, with a wall of metal shelving full of tins and packets of food, a glass-fronted commercial fridge and chest freezer, and some free-standing shelving units full of grocery items. Above the shelves and fridges are some of the vinyl decals that have been described in the carousel above.
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett © People United
Photo of a row of metal shelving units stacked with various tins, jars and packets of food. Above the shelving are vinyl wall decals of anthropomorphised vegetables and the phrase
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett © People United
Photo of a person standing in a food pantry with racking of food and other groceries, gesturing up at a vinyl decal showing an anthropomorphised jar of jam saying
We Keep Each Other Fed by Henry James Garrett © People United
We Keep Each Other Fed Press Release

Commissioned by

People United

Funded by

Creative Estuary
Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants