An Experimental Cookbook

Italian artists Cosimo Barletta and Mayda Mason speak about their mutual passion for different cuisines, and how they use their experiences and creativity to pay homage to it.

- Cosimo Barletta and Mayda Mason

Sometimes, destiny or fate plays a crucial role in one’s life. You meet a special person and that bond changes not just your personal life but also your professional one. Something similar happened with me when my path crossed with Mayda Mason, my partner and co-worker. As we got to know each other, we discovered our mutual love for food and cooking. Together, we experimented with unusual combinations of ingredients while preparing numerous cuisines, which gradually began to translate into our photographs.

Striking A Perfect Balance

Our portfolio consists of both personal and editorial projects. However, we prefer working on our personal projects as they truly represent our way of seeing. For instance, Genesis, our last triptych series, where we used vibrant colours and props, represents life in an allegorical, symbolic and metaphysical way.

Whether it is our personal or editorial work, we follow a linear process for ideation and production. The spark of the ideas come from one of us, and then develops with the contribution of both. Sometimes, a series is made up of ideas by her or me. However, most of the time, there is an equal contribution that comes from the continuous confrontation between us.