Lor-K –“Consumption is an endless cycle”

September, 2016
Reading Time
4.5 mins
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Image © The Interviewee

We talk to Lor-K, the street artist who is turning mattresses into food!

Lor-K is a Parisian street artist who turns discarded objects into works of art. We caught up with her to find out more about her ‘Eat Me’ project, in which she turned abandoned mattresses into giant foods.

Firstly, could you tell us a little more about yourself and the work that you do?

I began to study business, and it was during this time that I began to do street projects such as stencils, collages and paintings, but these techniques weren’t for me. I then enrolled in Arts Plastiques at Sorbonne, University of Paris and that’s where I really blossomed. I’ve now been doing street sculptures for the last six years.

The 39th 366 Award goes to Lor-K for her outstanding creative work.

What gave you the idea for your ‘Eat Me’ project?

My travels around the world for a prior project “Dans ce monde” (in this world) was one of the inspirations. Visiting different countries made me notice the global standardisation of the food industry. I also have a strong attraction for colour, as in projects “Objeticide” and “Consomas”.

Street Art Process

Lor-K Eat Me

I wanted to shine a light on our waste. I am used to working with objects which have been abandoned in the street, so I turned my attention on discarded mattresses. Old mattresses are commonplace on our streets and most people turn a blind-eye to them.

There is a tangible stigma in a mattress. It is often symbolic as a common place for life to both begin and end. A mattress on the street carries the stigma of its past life in the form of stains and defilement and, as such, is undesirable. They can also call to mind the precariousness of those dwelling the streets.

I wanted to turn these objects into food as a metaphor for the food that we waste; like hunger, consumption is an endless cycle.

‘Eat Me’ was a popular project. What are you planning to do next?

I observe the streets and constantly document the objects that get abandoned (#worldofwaste). When I am in a creative mood, I hop on my scooter and hunt for the perfect spot, as the location is of equal importance as the objects themselves. I look for combinations that have interesting chromatic compositions.

The main goal is to make passers-by notice the waste that lines our city streets.

I now want to continue my project Dans ce Monde, discovering the capital city of each country and spelling out the word ‘Welcome’ in the waste found in each location.

And finally, if you died a got reincarnated as a song, what would that song be?

I do not listen to music, if I were reincarnated, it would certainly be in silence!

You can see more from Lor-K on her website.

The Sound of Silence"
The Sound of Silence (1964)
Simon & Garfunkel
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What began as a fun question to end an interview, has now become a wonderfully eclectic collaborative playlist by 161 people (and counting).
Lor-K
Playlist
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