Watching Our Waste LA

Launching the “Watching out Waste” series in Los Angeles this past June, BLANK brought together creators within art, food, and fashion all of whom are minimizing waste through their craft.

BLANK curated an art and fashion exhibit with artist Moffat Takadiwa - whose mesmerizing sculptures and installations are made from items found in a landfill: toothbrush heads, toothpaste caps, plastic laundry detergent caps, and electronic waste such as keyboard keys to name a few. The art was the centerpiece to having the exhibit goers reflect on how their everyday habits contributed to Moffat’s work in front of them.

Fashion brands Uprisers and Rewilder showcased the impact of fast fashion and clothing waste, and the process of upcycling. The process of fashion is often a linear one beginning with land, crop, and water but Uprisers and Rewilder successfully keep fabric alive in the loop with beautiful, hand-crafted, upcycled pieces. Instead of just thinking about sustainable fashion as needing to be second hand, Uprisers and Rewilder unthread an old piece of clothing and rethread something completely new - a constant resurrection and rebirth - a truly sustainable method.

The exhibit was then followed by a four-course dinner experience with Chef Nate Romo. Keeping with the waste theme, the specially curated sustainable menu showcased ingredients that often get discarded or are underutilized, and can be re-imagined to create a high quality culinary experience, complementing the fashion collection and contemporary art installations surrounding the dinner table.