The Spanish creator and gastronomer will spend twelve weeks developing an experimental project that connects ceramic sculpture, biodiversity loss, and avant-garde cuisine.

Acción Cultural Española (AC/E) and the European Ceramic Workcentre (EKWC) have announced the selection results for their annual joint residency program. For this 2026 edition, the selection committee has chosen the proposal by Spanish artist and gastronomer Carles Tarrassó (1995), whose work stands out for its unique position at the intersection of contemporary arts and culinary sciences.

Tarrassó’s project presents both a technical and conceptual challenge that directly dialogues with the context of the Netherlands. His proposal involves preserving the shape and structure of various fruits and vegetables from historic Dutch botanical gardens in clay as they undergo their natural drying and decaying processes. Drawing inspiration from the rich tradition of seventeenth-century Dutch still lifes (nature morte), the artist aims to reflect on transience, the eco-social crisis, and the progressive loss of global biodiversity, blurring the traditional boundaries between art and life. Furthermore, his research will incorporate edible elements to make taste, scent, and colour tangible within an unprecedented sensory and material experience.

Carles Tarrassó holds a B.A. in Gastronomy and Culinary Arts, alongside master’s degrees in Gastronomic Science (specializing in avant-garde cuisine) and Ecological Humanities (Sustainability and Eco-Social Transition). Approaching sensory experience as a tool for thought, he translates his projects into sculpture, installation, and live arts, having previously showcased his proposals and edible events across various international contexts.

The research and production residency will last twelve weeks, running from August 13 to November 4, 2026, at the state-of-the-art facilities of the EKWC in Oisterwijk. Thanks to the support of AC/E, the creator will receive full coverage for travel, accommodation, a subsistence allowance, and a specific budget for materials and firing costs using the centre's specialized kilns, allowing him to work alongside technical advice from world-class experts.

With the resolution of this open call, Acción Cultural Española reaffirms its strategic commitment to international mobility, enabling Spanish creators to explore new material languages and build stable exchange networks within world-renowned centres of artistic excellence.