If Lola Diaz Cantoni (1993) had to summarize her art in a single word, it would be ‘togetherness’. Whether pertaining to a performance, artist talk, or project in the public space, Diaz Cantoni sees herself as a facilitator of exchanging experiences. A constantly recurring question in this process is what art might mean in a changing society. For an art manifestation she earlier came up with ways to bring the work of another artist, herman de vries, closer to the public by transferring it from the art space to the streets. As a member of the collective Play Mobility, she furthermore researches the possibilities for organizing performances in unexpected locations.
At Prospects, Diaz Cantoni is presenting E.A.T. Collective (2023). It is based on Edible Actions Together (E.A.T.), an open platform for making connections, sharing experiences, and acquiring knowledge about food she initiated at the beginning of 2023. The collective consists of an international group of artists, chefs, illustrators, students, and foodies who come together on a regular basis for performances, tastings, and dinners. For the theme ‘salt’, for instance, they tasted various types of salt and made onion soup with salty tears. And the theme ‘eggs’ led to an exploration of eggs in art, as well as a list of 125 ways to prepare eggs. Apart from the physical meetings, they also have a website for sharing all this information. During the run of Prospects, visitors are invited to participate in various activities, including collective meals, and to bring their own views to the table.
Text: Esther Darley
Translation from Dutch to English: Marie Louise Schoondergang