Gardening and Cooking Workshop | Beatriz da Costa (un)disciplinary tactics

Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery
4800 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90029
Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 11 AM–2 PM
Limited capacity, registration required

For the PST ART exhibition, , LACE is staging a two-part workshop activation of Beatriz da Costa’s The Cost of Life (2011–13) series, which grew out of the artist’s experience with cancer. The Cost of Life series illustrates the ethical, emotional, and economic costs needed to keep cancer patients alive, drawing attention to the interconnectedness between human, animal, and plant life.

In 2012, chef Michelle Fuerst and Beatriz da Costa presented a collaborative gardening and cooking workshop on the occasion of da Costa’s participation in Art, Environment, Action! (Sept. 28–Dec. 15, 2012) at the Sheila C. Johnson Design Center in Parsons The New School for Design. LACE’s activation is inspired by da Costa’s final public presentation and celebrates her life-long commitment to art, health, and social issues.

Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery
4800 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90029
11 AM–12 PM

Part one of the workshop focuses on The Life Garden (2011), an indoor medicinal garden that grows herbs and plants known to help people living with cancer. Stewarded by Taylor “The Plant Plug” Lindsey during the run of the exhibition, the garden has over thirty different species such as mushrooms, herbs, and fruits. For this program, Lindsey will share their gardening expertise with the public as well as instructions on how to build your own indoor medicinal garden. Supported by botanist Aleen Vartivarian, workshop participants will also learn more about the health benefits of anti-cancer nutrition. This workshop will be held inside the gallery in front of The Life Garden from 11 AM to 12 PM.

LACE Executive Director’s home in Los Feliz
Address provided upon registration
1 PM–2 PM

Part two of the workshop revolves around The Delicious Apothecary (2012–13), a wooden medicine cabinet with spices known to have cancer-fighting properties, and The Anti-Cancer Cookbook (2024), which was completed for (un)disciplinary tactics. Led by chef Michelle Fuerst, this cooking workshop will utilize ingredients from The Life Garden and The Delicious Apothecary. Participants will be invited to collaboratively assemble nutritional recipes from The Anti-Cancer Cookbook, while learning more about Fuerst’s previous collaborations with da Costa. This workshop will be held offsite at the LACE Executive Director’s home following the gardening workshop from 1 PM to 2 PM, and will conclude with a celebratory meal.

Capacity is limited for both workshops, and registration is required. Registered participants will be gifted a condensed version of da Costa’s ambitious artwork, The Anti-Cancer Survival Kit (2012–13), courtesy of the Beatriz da Costa Estate.

Michelle Fuerst is a private chef in Princeton, New Jersey. Growing up in California, she studied culinary arts there. After cooking in various Bay Area restaurants, she ultimately landed at Zuni Café and Chez Panisse, both pioneers of the local and sustainable food movement. At Zuni Café, Fuerst climbed the ranks in the kitchen and learned the foundations of rustic Californian cooking. She further refined her skills as a serious cook at Chez Panisse. Her exploration in the culinary world has taught her where good ingredients come from, the integrity of a simple meal and the larger impact this awareness has on the world.

Host or Publisher LACE (Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions)