With her latest Prada commission, artist Martine Syms explores her love and hate for Los Angeles:
HelLA World
. Syms described the work as “an interactive textual and visual play for three characters: one en route to the party, one at the party, and one not attending.” Surveillance-like video projections and ticker tape–style monitors have been installed around the restaurant, the latter displaying both scripted conversation and random musings from Prada Mode L.A. guests, who are invited to contribute from their phones. “I want to hear all the gossip,” said the artist.It is also something of an ode to her hometown. “I want to show my Los Angeles with this installation—not the Los Angeles everyone imagines,” said Syms.
This is not her first collaboration with Prada: With Daisy Zhou, the director of photography for her film, Syms shot the brand’s spring-summer 2021 Linea Rossa campaign. She has also collaborated with Kanye West while hosting the monthly NTS radio show “Double Penetration” and running Dominica Publishing, an imprint exploring Blackness in visual culture.
There will also be late-night DJ sets from Kyle Hall as well as Femi and Acyde, plus live performances from the likes of violinist and vocalist Sudan Archives—and, of course, Genghis Cohen’s New York-style Sichuan food and “world-famous Foo Foo Drinks,” which Syms has long enjoyed during a weekly dinner with friends.