Running until August 25th, "Matter of South: Biomaterial Cultures from Latin America" is part of the larger initiative "More than Human: Design After the Anthropocene," curated by Claudia Banz. This transdisciplinary project brings together international actors to explore the connections between humans and the environment. The initiative, featuring pop-up exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and panel discussions, will continue through the next year.
As part of this initiative, the Kunstgewerbemuseum has introduced two special projects. The first, "Wunderkammer#2," focuses on materials and objects in the digital world. The second, "Matter of South," explores the relationship between people and their environment through the lens of biomaterials and alternative approaches to extractivist practices (we looked at an example of such an alternative in yesterday's post in which we examined the sports flooring at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, made with crushed shells).
Curated by Heidi Jalkh, Gisela Pozzetti, and Valentina Aliaga Vargas - who work in Argentina and Chile - the exhibition showcases the transformative potential of biomaterial cultures in Latin America and features 200 initiatives selected through an open call across 11 Latin American countries. The exhibition includes biomaterial samples, films, and documentary records, offering insights into various manufacturing processes and local production contexts. Visitors are invited to explore and experience the diversity, uniqueness, and richness of biomaterials firsthand.
Besides, the exhibition presents a tentative "Manifesto of Biomaterials," crafted by a group of prominent figures from different disciplines within the biomaterials field in Latin America representing independent initiatives, academic projects, institutions, and entrepreneurial ventures. The Manifesto serves as a platform to explore the motivations, contradictions, and disagreements surrounding biomaterial practices. It acknowledges that definitive conclusions about these materials are premature, as we are still in the early stages of experimentation. This part of the exhibition captures a snapshot of collective efforts at this particular moment in time, providing a space to reflect on current projects and consider future directions.
The "Biomaterial Archive" section of the exhibition showcases biomaterial samples and documentary records of various processes and manufacturing contexts from across the region. These elements are interconnected through a dynamic map that illustrates the diverse landscape of biomaterial initiatives from multiple locations. Visitors can explore the development of these initiatives across Latin America - from Argentina and Brazil to Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, and Uruguay - and experience their diversity, uniqueness, and richness firsthand. This interactive map also creates visual connections between projects, fields, and individuals engaged in biomaterial and biomanufacturing explorations.
The exhibition features a wide range of samples and items, from textiles and jewelry to interior design elements and experimental materials that could be applied to the architecture field. For instance, Elia Gasparolo from Argentina presents "Tejido Conectivo" (Connective Tissue), a series of clothing and accessories made from bacterial cellulose. This bio-leather results from a symbiosis of yeast, bacteria, and cellulose. Other intriguing materials include textiles made from grape pomace, oranges, tamarind, coffee, and avocado waste, some of which are even edible.
Colombian designer Lauren Ordoñez explores the connection between food waste and design through her project "Biocrafter Kitchen," which focuses on recycling biomaterials and turning them into new creations. For several years, she has been crafting leather from fish skin.
These new materials are not limited to the fashion industry; they extend to interior design and include phono-absorbent panels made with biomaterials.
Another innovative project, "Bioconductor Fugaz" by Lara Fernández Vallone, combines a bio-platelet made from an eggshell bio-composite recipe from Labva Group with circuit bio-conductors conceived by Elisabeth Lorenzi and Clara Davis, offering cleaner energy solutions.
Paola Maldonado, Camila Marabotto, Fenja Geisel, and Zoë Powell Best from Uruguay focus on the applications of biomaterials in the performing arts. Their work highlights how these materials can be expanded to other fields - fashion shows also come to mind as biomaterials could be employed in a variety of situations, including building temporary sets used during runways.
Mushrooms continue to take center stage in numerous biomaterial projects. Mycelium-based composites are widely used for thermal insulation, but innovative applications abound. For instance, Chilean designer Daniel Monsalve has created a mycelium mask inspired by the Japanese Setsubun tradition, a ritual intended to drive away evil spirits and bad fortune. This mask also carries a symbolic meaning, representing a shift towards ecological material culture - a cleansing from the past to forge a new relationship with nature.
One of the standout installations is "Fluorescer" by Florencia Cesari Tommarello and Heidi Jalkh. This project discovers the invisible world of the Ganoderma multipileum fungus, highlighting the vibrant colors and unique shapes it produces when exposed to ultraviolet light and excess CO2 (an extremely intriguing project for fashion designers - can these bizarre shapes and colors inspire us solutions for garments or accessories?).
This rich exploration within the "Biomaterial Archive" section not only showcases innovative uses of biomaterials, but also prompts visitors to think about the broader implications and potential applications of these practices for a sustainable future. Could we, for example, develop clothes and accessories based on photochromic textiles incorporating the Ganoderma multipileum fungus that could change color when exposed to excessive amounts of CO2 and that could help us monitoring the air quality or CO2 buildup for workers in confined spaces or be employed in smart masks and garments for monitoring patients' respiratory health by detecting CO2 levels in exhaled breath?
Last but not least, these projects demonstrate that the benefits of biomaterials extend beyond environmental impact. Indeed, as discussed in previous post, companies developing biomaterial projects do not just help the environment, but encourage community engagement, inspire positive change, and create new job opportunities. Thus, the potential of biomaterials encompasses environmental, social, and economic advantages.
Image credits for this post
1. Fluorecer "Ganoderma multipileum" under UV light, Florencia Cesari Tommarello, Heidi Jalkh, Sistemas Biomateriales, © Heidi Jalkh.
2 & 3. Growing colour, Heidi Jalkh, Leonardo Majul, © Heidi Jalkh.
4. Tejido Conectivo, Elia Gasparolo.
5. Bioconductor Fugaz, Lara Fernández Vallone.
6 & 7. Fungal interactions "Ganoderma lucidum and Pycnoporus sanguineus," Leonardo Majul, Aldana Kremer, Sistemas Biomateriales, © Heidi Jalkh.
8. Mycelium Mask by Daniel Monsalve.
Comments