Artist Creates Minimalist Masterpieces Out Of Food, Then Eats Them

Sydney-based artist Danling Xiao makes art out of edible materials, then devours them when she’s done. She calls it “eat-your-own-art”.

h/t: designtaxi

This one reads: dolphin kissing Australian sun. ?? /// This morning I woke up at 5.30am to join my friend @nellyvision to 'Capture the Sun' at Bondi Beach with @solar_citizens, who partners with @getup_australia to help achieve 100% renewable electricity for all Australian homes and businesses by 2030. /// According to UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures' research, a transition to 100% renewable energy in Australia within ONE generation is both technically feasible and economically responsible. /// For someone like myself who dwells in a tiny apartment, it seems there is nothing much we could do at the moment, but at least we could share the words together. People power moves the world. ☀️?? #mundanematters #capturethesun2030

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on Jun 16, 2016 at 4:56am PDT

Xiao doesn’t incur waste with her art, and she’s an advocate for sustainable living. She told Instagram Blog that she quit her 9-to-5 job to focus full-time on this. Armed with a knife, chopping board, toothpicks, and all-natural fruit and vegetables (most of which she gets from the ‘imperfect fruit’ section), she creates her art.

When things are driven by a goal or a result, we easily become impatient. We want it now, or tomorrow, our way. We forget that in nature, things take time. It takes 365 days to pass a year. For a pear tree, it takes three years to produce the first fruits. /// When we nurture what we do patiently, with our heart, even if it takes a long time, it will be a fruitful tree in the end. ?❤️ #mundanematters

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on Jun 14, 2016 at 4:27am PDT

“Many people think I’m just doing cute fruit art, but what I’m doing reminds us where our food comes from and helps to raise awareness about sustainable living,” she says.

There are people who you meet at the first time, and you already feel the bond with them – @rosiefuture is one of those people to me. /// Rosie found out our workshop by browsing things to do in Sydney on her short visit. When she picked up my leftover broccoli out of the 'mystery box', she said she was going to make an island. Along the process, she was cutting bits and pieces, nibbling at the vegetables, chatting with everyone about nature, animals and the world. /// At the end she showed this thing ☝️ and described to me that there were two islands, floating; and there was a capsicum ladder that led people up to the islands. I thought it was a wonderful canapé idea. /// A curious, adventurous and futuristic mind. I am very fortunate to meet Rosie and keep in touch with her. ❤️? #mundanematters #superlocalxmundanematters

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on Jun 13, 2016 at 4:18am PDT

This one reads: Arrrrrrrrrrrrrr! ??/// Another surprising pick from my local farmers' market. I have never seen an orange as perfect and beautiful before. ? #mundanematters

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on Jun 9, 2016 at 5:42am PDT

How I feel after I cooked and ate my dinner tonight☝️? /// Things are getting busier. At 5pm I was still trying to get more work done, while at 7pm I had a podcast interview (will share later). I was very tempted to get takeaway dinner but when I opened the fridge, there were pumpkins, carrots, capsicum and a big bunch of kale I bought from the farmers' market on the weekend. /// I changed my mind and spent an hour cooking and eating them. Not only a takeaway box was saved, but also half of my small fridge of good food was eaten. Plus I have dinner for tomorrow night. Thinking about what I have just done gave me great satisfaction. ? #mundanematters

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on Jun 8, 2016 at 4:15am PDT

Kaffir lime brain from @lianerossler's garden. ? /// A few days ago I watched Ken Jennings' @ted talk about artificial intelligence and its impact on us. I found it inspiring so I just watched it again to write down some of his words for us. /// The things we learn or carry in our head, are what make who we are as individuals, as a species. I don't want to live in a world where cultural literacy becomes this bubble of speciality so that no one knows the common association used to bind our civilisation together. It is a vast cultural heritage we share, without having to outsource to our devices, search engines and smart phones. /// We are at a point where we need to make the choice of what kind of future we want to be living in. We can choose a new golden age where information is universally available more than ever. On the other hand we will be living in a gloomy dystopia where machines take over and we decide what we know about is no longer important because everything is in the cloud and why would we bother learning? Something for us to think about. ?? #mundanematters

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on Jun 2, 2016 at 4:58am PDT

So simple but so beautiful. Created by the talented chef @mathewvanleyen at our workshop with @lianerossler @superlocalstudio. Matt ate his mandarin flower after we took this photo. ?? #superlocalxmundanematters #mundanematters

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on Jun 1, 2016 at 5:13am PDT

If you ever wonder where I get my ideas everyday, I believe all of us, when our mind is in peace, lots of thoughts and visuals (if you are a visual person) will pop up and that should be where our inspiration comes from. It is from within. Our mind is already the greatest resource of inspiration. /// But to realise the vision is a different thing. We succeed every now and then. Most of the time we fail. That's just the process. For example, this skeleton hand trying-to-be. ??? #mundanematters

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on May 31, 2016 at 4:24am PDT

Saved a pair of chopsticks from my flowering kale. Keeping them hydrated in the water and take them out to use. ? /// Lately I have been watching a bush tucker man called Koa Windsong's videos to fall asleep (very calming). I find it inspiring seeing different parts of a plant used for different purposes, from eating to holding food to weaving sandals. But most importantly, Koa doesn't kill the plant. It should only be in survival situation, can one cut to the heart of a plant to get the best nutrition. ?? #mundanematters

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on May 28, 2016 at 3:41am PDT

My running carrot man featured on @instagram for #whpedibleart proves that imperfect picks can be superstars too. It really just depends on how we look at these 'weird' looking creatures. For them to be 'weird', it is because we have been educated by the supermarkets how fruits and vegetables should look like. But in nature there are many different forms, how can we selectively eat only the 'perfect' ones? Shop and eat the imperfect ones from your local farmers if you have the option. Help save food waste ? #mundanematters #imperfectpicks

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on May 27, 2016 at 3:26am PDT

I baked some pumpkin bolts for Noah and made a carrot and celery stick necklace for Mali before I visited them today. Noah ate his bolts straight away. Mali the little munchkin ate her necklace. When Noah finished his bolts he went over to Mali and the two were very close together eating carrots and celery from Mali's neck. The little brother-sisterhood. It was the most delightful thing to watch. Thank you @cammackellar and Ang! ?❤️?⚡️ #mundanematters

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on May 24, 2016 at 4:25am PDT

Another perfect imperfect pick from my Saturday farmers market – Run, Carrot Run! ? #mundanematters #whpedibleart #foodrevolutionday

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on May 21, 2016 at 5:12am PDT

I have been following the not-for-profit @pocketcityfarms for a while and really love what they do for our city. Yesterday when I saw the post about their fundraising deadline for the farm, I thought perhaps I can help spread the words and hope friends like yourself can help them a bit. I reached out to Emma to ask her about their five-year preparation for the farm. It was five years of hard work and patience – It took them two years to find the current place. The most memorable moment for Emma was breaking the ground when their development was approved – after four years they started the land search! Since then they have been preparing the soil, raising funds, designing the space and working with the council and their collaborators to improve the space. It is till now we start to see a beautiful veggie garden that replaces the old unused greens of Camperdown Bowling Club. Moreover, the locals will be able to buy organic produce from them, and send their compost to help the farming. Till the opening in June they needs our help. If you share the same value in ethical farming and shopping local, especially if you live in Sydney inner-west, please make a pledge. You will be able get some homemade compost or yoga workshops etc as a gift for the money you donate. More info see @pocketcityfarms. #mundanematters

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on May 18, 2016 at 3:48am PDT

How interesting. Just by the way we cut a fruit, we can find a completely different universe. ?? /// By the way, by the way, this is a replacement for tonight's disastrous failure. You don't want to see what I have made earlier … ? #mundanematters

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on May 17, 2016 at 5:06am PDT

It is mid May, but it was so hot before sleep last night. Anett and I started talking about how much warmer it is this autumn compared to the past. I asked, half asleep, what is it going to happen in 50 years, 100 years, 200 years? We didn't have an answer and both fell asleep in the hot air. /// In the news today it says April 2016 was the hottest April on record globally. The higher temperatures triggered the third recorded global coral bleaching, resulting 93% of the reefs being affected by bleaching along the Great Barrier Reef (The Guardian). /// While we enjoy the warmer weather, perhaps we should think what we can do to help sustain our planet. ?❤️? #mundanematters

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on May 16, 2016 at 4:04am PDT

Everyone sings – We all live in a yellow submarine. Yellow submarine, yellow submarine. ? /// Imperfect fruits are beautiful. By selling them at a much cheaper price, my local farmers market has saved 2 million kilograms of fruits and vegetables from being thrown into the bin in the past year. Buy them if you have the options. @lianerossler and I use them in our workshop too. ????? #mundanematters #superlocalxmundanematters

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on May 14, 2016 at 5:39am PDT

What if. What if. Great ideas start with imagination to solve problems. Some work out. Some don't. When we let go our ego, what matters is the process, is no longer the result. ?? #mundanematters

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on May 11, 2016 at 6:04am PDT

Sweet potato Klimt's Mother and Child for all the mothers and mother-to-be. ❤️? @lianerossler @saskia_howard @saskiaericson @preprint @isabelleaileentoland @jennyark @lizpluskids @jacquithorburn @emjnewman @ceeceethatsme @kylaastone ❤️❤️❤️#mundanematters

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on May 8, 2016 at 5:20am PDT

My dearest chef brother @charlie.xiao.75 created this strangely beautiful monument-like sculpture at our first workshop. ? /// Charlie and I are obsessed with eating. Most of the time when we hang out, we eat. This time having the workshop was quite different so I was a bit worried that Charlie might not enjoy it. /// It turned out that this guy even brought his chef tools ready to do some serious drilling and carving work! He stood up most of the time and concentrated on making his sculpture. I reckoned he was sweating, but also I felt that sense of joy coming out from him when he finished, as well as today when he received his photo. Love you bro. ?❤️??? #mundanematters #superlocalxmundanematters

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on May 5, 2016 at 3:35am PDT

May the 4th be with you. Happy #starwarsday! @starwars #mundanematters #superlocalxmundanematters

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on May 4, 2016 at 4:16am PDT

Made by Anett at our workshop. ?? /// Without Anett's intelligence, love and support, I would have given up many things long time ago. In times of Mercury Retrograde, I sit back and reviewed the past exciting but painful three months. Link in bio ☝ If you are also seeking clarity, I recommend you write down your past. It helps. ? #mundanematters #superlocalxmundanematters

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on May 2, 2016 at 5:09am PDT

Beautiful big bug by @isabelleaileentoland. More creations and workshop photos see link in my bio. ? Do good things: 1. Zero waste. Creativity without damage to the environment. Most fruits and vegetables we use are the imperfect ones people don't want. All scraps go to compost. All artworks go to the creators' stomachs. 2. Create a purely joyful, free, loving experience. 3. Discover our inner child and creativity together. More good things to come. Thanks to all adventurous spirits for joining us on the first week to create such beautiful energy together. It is very special to have you @raquelduron @thereverendchay @jacquithorburn @charlie.xiao.75 @jerkscully @breezeblockhead @scarletlilli @feltysurface @isabelleaileentoland @johnnylieu with @lianerossler at @superlocalstudio (photos to your inbox soon xx)

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on Apr 26, 2016 at 2:59am PDT

What I've learnt from @johnnylieu at today's workshop: Johnny was in the Saturday mood so he built a DJ set. When we put it inside the lightbox for photography, we both thought it would be even cooler to put a little DJ man in it to complete the picture. /// Instantly I was thinking about Photoshopping the little man in later when I edited the photo, but Johnny straight away looked around to find something to make it happen. We found peanuts at the end and he made the little man standing playing DJ. /// Don't wait. If you want to do something, make it happen now. This was what I learnt. ? Join us next week. Link in bio ☝️ #superlocalxmundanematters #mundanematters

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on Apr 23, 2016 at 4:23am PDT

A recreation of @shshshshel's pomegranate at @kaleidopress workshop last week. What Shelly created that night was so beautiful. She embodied a pomegranate with the myth of Hades and Persephone. I told her I was going to photograph it, but the next day when I picked it up, it was dead. As promised I recreated it for her with an extra sweet potato root to chain the pomegranate (as Persephone is chained to the sea) and sprayed some pomegranate blood to symbolise love, abduction and passion. ?? #mundanematters #superlocalxmundanematters

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on Apr 20, 2016 at 5:33am PDT

Numerology ?. Three things I discovered today that gave me goosebumps: 1. My birthday counts the Master Number 33/6, of which life purpose is 'to use your nurturing and healing gifts to serve yourself and others in a joyful and accepting way'. /// 2. Anett and I – our birthday counts complete the chart above. /// 3. 'Mundane Matters' as a name counts Number 6 – its life purpose is to love, care and support. It is considered to be the most harmonious number. I think it explains a lot about our journey. I thank Anett for this thoughtful, beautiful present. ? Highly recommend to have a read and find out yours if you haven't. A good guide for the heart and soul. (Or come to my workshop with @superlocalstudio next Thursday night I will teach you. Link in bio. ☝️?) #mundanematters #superlocalxmundanematters

A photo posted by Mundane Matters (@mundane_matters) on Apr 16, 2016 at 3:38am PDT