Guided by architect and SCOBY caregiver Marcela Godoy, this workshop delves into the history and nutritional benefits of kombucha, a fermented tea with detoxifying and energizing properties, originating in northeastern China during the Qin Dynasty in the third century BCE. Godoy will demonstrate how to make kombucha, sharing her insights into the fascinating process where bacteria and yeast form a microscopic community, mirroring human societies and the preservation of cultures.

Participants will work in small groups to prepare their own kombucha using the SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) provided by Godoy. The workshop will be hosted twice: in the first session, participants will taste and make kombucha, while the second session will feature kombucha made by the first group. Participants will also discuss their memories of keeping something alive, from heirlooms to recipes to other organisms, by sharing it with others.

Participants are welcome to attend either workshop, with no obligation to join both sessions. 

Language: English.

Free and open to the public. 

Space is limited. Registration is required. To register, please click on the “Register” button at the top of this page or scan the QR code below. 


In conjunction with Sour Things, an exhibition by Mirna Bamieh.

The exhibition Sour Things and related events are presented as the first season of the ICA's artistic research program Lightless Fires (2024–26), exploring fermentation as a figure and technique of collective memory, autonomous archiving, and writing history.