Meet Lolo Ostia | Artist + Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lolo Ostia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lolo, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Prior to pursuing art, I contemplated studying medicine, but the prospect of investing over a decade in education deterred me. While a creative path demands significant discipline, I found a natural inclination towards developing a visual language. It all began with a photography over 10 years ago and gradually evolved into the large-scale installations I’ve been working on for the past six years.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My concentration has centered on the use of bacterial cellulose,a nanofibrous structure that emerges from the fermentation of Kombucha brewing. This growth is not just a physical manifestation but also a metaphorical narrative, symbolizing the flourishing of material only in a healthy environment. Employing microbes as a symbolic tool to consider the virtues of collaboration, particularly in our current volatile societal landscape. Viewing microbial interaction as a philosophical gateway, my exploration encompasses themes of community and transcending communication barriers between species.

I began my bioart journey by experimenting with seaweed, I was interested in exploring biomaterials and biodegradability in my work. Upon discovering bacterial cellulose (scoby) I became fascinated.
Admittedly, there was a learning curve as I revisited the fundamentals of science, and reading scientific papers can be daunting.
Sustainability has become a cornerstone of my creative endeavors, leading me to teach classes over the past few years aimed at making artists aware of integrating concepts such as circular economies, sustainability and emerging technologies into their artistic practices.
One of these classes, titled “Artists in Laboratories,” focuses on this intersection. This summer, I’ll be teaching a course in China titled “Sustainable Art Practice: Living Materials, Biomaterials, and the Future of Art Making”. Teaching, for me, is not just about imparting knowledge; it’s also a catalyst for my own growth. To effectively teach a subject, I must thoroughly understand it myself, which in turn pushes my work to evolve.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’d recommend starting the day with a 7 am yoga at 3rd street beach yoga. The sight of the colors shifting at dawn is simply breathtaking. As a morning person early workouts are better for me. I prefer homemade breakfasts. However, for lunch or dinner, I suggest Intimo, a Peruvian/Japanese fusion restaurant located in South of Fifth. Another excellent choice is 305 Peruvian Modern Cuisine, the ceviche parrillero is stellar. For a delightful afternoon coffee break and the best creme brûlée in town, I would go to “À la Folie Café”. Occasionally, the Wat Buddharangsi Buddhist Temple in Homestead hosts a food market with incredible offerings.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There have been numerous individuals who assisted me along the way, making it difficult to single out just one. Certainly, some of my teachers who transitioned into mentors, and more recently, the community at Genspace, where I’ve conducted research. Genspace is the world’s first community biology lab.

Website: loloostia.com

Instagram: @loloostia

Image Credits
Portrait Photo credit: Katie Salsbury Photo : Ziwei Ji