Liminal Matter

Lena Ghaninejad's food and material installation traces currency from barley and obsidian to digital finance, and asks who gets left out along the way. A Future Money grant project.

Liminal Matter

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Liminal Matter is a multidisciplinary installation by Paris-based chef and food artist Lena Ghaninejad that examines the evolution of currency through the lenses of food, material culture, and technology. Drawing on her background in cooking, art history, and agroecology, and influenced by her upbringing in France and Iran, Ghaninejad utilizes food as sustenance and as a medium for connection, storytelling, and social critique.

“I don’t think you can possibly work with food in any capacity and not ask questions about equality and social inclusion […] the genesis of currency is something that is tangible, that comes from the earth, and therefore that’s easier to share.”

Lena Ghaninejad

Developed for the Future Money Open Studios, Liminal Matter blends ancient and futuristic materials- barley, obsidian, plexiglass, and a hologram of the Mesopotamian goddess Shala- to trace the transformation of currency from its physical origins to today’s digitized financial systems. The installation serves as a meditative shrine, inviting reflection on who gains or loses access in the transition from tangible exchange to abstract digital economies.

Ghaninejad’s approach disrupts the traditional formality of galleries and fine dining alike, using food to break down barriers and spark conversation. Her work merges the spiritual with the technological, reframing money as not merely transactional but also deeply cultural and human. By doing so, Liminal Matter challenges audiences to envision financial systems rooted in community, ecology, and shared values.

Looking ahead, Ghaninejad aims to broaden this exploration with new projects, such as a seed candy shop installation and a long-form essay, furthering her mission to blend food-based storytelling with sustainable, inclusive visions for economic life.