Fifteen Amsterdam based artists come together for the 2026 International Art Talent Festival, presenting their new work and ongoing research. Artist Luca Gerry Conte, who received guidance from Waag Futurelab for his bio art and design research, wil present his work 'What Happened to the World? What Happened to That Child?'. Join us at Felix Meritis for an evening of visual and performing art.
What Happened to the World? What Happened to That Child? is the result of Conte's residency at Waag Futurelab. After investigating food as a re-creational catalyst, Conte now explores fresh fruits and vegetables grown or obtained through farming as an organic component of his artworks: an ecological medium that lives beyond its nutritional purpose. The installation is a space for decompression and play, where visitors can move between domestic activities and experimental engagement with bio-creations.
About the artist
Luca Gerry Conte is a multidisciplinary artist who approaches art as a participant in spatial and social ecosystems. He studied Fine Arts in Carrara and at the Royal Academy of Art (KABK) in The Hague, and Ecology, Creativity and Education at the University of Gastronomic Sciences. Edible matter is central to his practice, both as a medium and as a research subject, through which he explores processes of transformation, decay and rebirth.
About the residency
In 2026, Conte is Waag's artist-in-residence in the Bio Art and Design discipline of the 3Package Deal, a talent development programme by the Amsterdam Fund for the Arts (AFK) and Bureau Broedplaatsen of the City of Amsterdam. The International Art Talent Festival marks the culmination of a year of artistic research, experimentation and exchange for the 2026 cohort.
