In a series of three exhibitions Transnatural explores the potential meanings of new forms of (artificial) manipulated life, biological-digital creatures, materials and tissues. The first show Living Matter(s) dives into the world of synthetic fabricated bio materials and materials with comparable outcome with a small but impressive selection of projects from makers, thinkers and researchers. All projects kind of transform or grow during several presentation periods in a.o. Amsterdam, Milan and Copenhagen.

In the 2014-2015 season Transnatural explores the grey area of merged life and technology, in a way it is really hard to recognise the difference anymore. Do we need to prepare ourselves for a load of new creatures, things and other unified concepts entering the world? What’s going on in the in-between-fields of hybrid forms ? On show in the first part amongst others:

The ultimate project goal of Ivorish is to synthetically ‘grow’ ivory. Ivorish is ivory made from human or animal tooth waste material. The South east Asia myth around rhino ivory as material improving health conditions on several levels, as well as stimulating the sexual human passion, is not the starting point of this project. The designer Nina van den Broek (NL) is more interested in the aesthetic and material properties as an alternative material and as replacement for elephant ivory business.

The Skin project exists out of algorithmic generated wearable structures that are covered with materials made from bacterial cellulose. The designer explores the aesthetics and functional potential of the grown materials combined with digital fabrication methods. We are familiar with Suzanne Lee’s bacterial cellulose grown fashion work, but in this project by Sammy Jobbins Wells (AUS/ GER) it’s about the next level of combined biological-digital results.

In the Silk Leaf project by Julian Melchiorri (UK) a synthetic biological leaf is created which can absorb water and carbon dioxide and produce oxygen like a plant. The material is suitable to use on extremely large scale projects and through this reason has potential to serve at various levels of design from product design to architecture or even, as the designer claims, suitable for long term space rides.

The Growing Lab is an ongoing research project, exploring strategies for growing materials and therefore products, by implementing fungal mycelia. Through his project Maurizio Montalti | Officina Corpuscoli envisions a world where the classical concept of production is replaced by a new paradigm based on growth and cultivation and where products come to life through a process comparable to a sort of natural 3D printing. Within Living Matters, the studio presents a series of mycelium-based, grown products (available for sale too).

The Xylinum Cones project presents a production line that uses living organisms to grow geometrical objects. The approach is part of a research project from two German designers Stefan Schwabe & Jannis Huelsen who also use bacterial cellulose to explore our perception of new biotechnological materials. This project and results will be exhibited in the second show in Milan.

Open 28 Nov. – 27 Mar.: Tue. – Fri., 10.00h – 17.00h
Opening: Fri. 28 November 18.00h
Location: Transnatural Workspace
Address: Lijnbaansgracht 148a Bg Amsterdam

http://transnatural.org