Conversation with Leslie Labowitz-Starus, Los Angeles, 2002

Leslie Labowitz-Starus reflects on her involvement in feminist art and activism, describing her motivations for social change. After the birth of her daughter, her focus shifted: “I think the decisions I made had to do with trying to be a role model for the next woman.” Her work is also influenced by her mother’s experiences as a Holocaust survivor, leading Labowitz-Starus to address generational trauma with the aim of strengthening women’s resilience and self-worth.

This approach extends to her work in alternative food production, especially urban agriculture and sprouting: “The idea of sprouting food is an incredible political statement and alternative for countries all over the world.” She views sprouting as a revolutionary and feminist strategy for promoting food sustainability. “Sprout growers were like artists. They were alternative political people who got into it for various reasons.” She emphasizes the simplicity of growing sprouts and their high nutritional value: “I could grow enough food in my space in Venice [to feed] all of Venice.” Despite advocacy, the small-time spouting farmers faced significant setbacks when the FDA deemed alfalfa sprouts unsafe due to contamination issues. “I have never had in my whole 20 years anyone that’s ever gotten sick on anything I did.” Labowitz-Starus outlines the broader political and economic challenges in food production. Large corporations, such as Jolly Green Giant, sought to patent broccoli sprout production following the discovery at Johns Hopkins University that broccoli sprouts might have cancer-curing effects. This led to a legal battle with small sprout growers, who eventually managed to retain the right to produce these sprouts.

Labowitz-Starus describes how her artistic practice evolved, especially in Spain during Franco’s regime, where she began creating images focused on male sexuality and power in response to the oppressive and militaristic environment. Upon returning to the United States, Labowitz-Starus collaborated with the artist Suzanne Lacy to address the pervasive violence against women in works such as Three Weeks in May, which mapped incidents of rape across Los Angeles. However, the emotional toll led her to shift her focus to regenerative work. Labowitz-Starus suggests that if more women approached life through feminist frameworks, it could have a broader societal impact, affecting not just the art world but also schools, families, and workplaces.