Join artist Laisul Hoque and art critic Zarina Muhammad, co-founder of The White Pube and co-author of Poor Artist, for a conversation around his East London Art Prize shortlisted installation An Ode to All the Flavours (2024). The installation is showing at the Nunnery Gallery as part of the East London Art Prize Shortlist Exhibition 2025. Surrounding the notion of self-expression and collective action, they will explore how personal memories and shared experiences challenge rigid cultural norms and reshape collective identities.

The conversation will delve into themes of cultural fluidity, memory and tradition, focusing on how Laisul’s father’s favourite unconventional childhood snack inspired this installation. Reflecting on his upbringing shaped by dogmatic approaches to norms and traditions, Laisul critiques the ‘sacredness’ often associated with maintaining culture, presenting it instead as playful, dynamic and shaped by reinterpretation and participation.

Through the installation, Laisul invites visitors to taste the snack offered by OITIJ-JO Kitchen, embedding a personal memory into collective experiences, and challenging how we understand and participate in culture. This event aims to offer insights into art’s potential to transform private narratives into collective experiences and question the boundaries of tradition and identity.

The talk will start at 7pm in the Nunnery Gallery.

The Nunnery Cafe will be open for the duration of the evening, selling drinks and a range of tasty snacks offered by OITIJ-JO Kitchen.