Material Change: Design and New Technologies
The exhibition Material Change: Design and New Technologies looks at how Estonian contemporary artists and designers employ new materials and technologies. The exhibition features works by a number of outstanding and forward-looking designers, whose works combine sustainability with innovation and stand at the cutting edge of Estonian design. On display are, among other pieces, interactive and smart textiles by Kärt Ojavee and Johanna Ulfsak, carbon-negative mushroom furniture by Siim Karro and unconventional and unique jewellery by Darja Popolitova. We hope this exhibition inspires visitors to think about how we interact with materials, and about the broader social and environmental impacts of materials.
One focus of the exhibition is on how new techniques, such as digital technologies, 3D printing, laser engraving and ultrasonic sealing, can widen and enhance the uses of such traditional materials as china, glass, wood and textiles. Digital techniques combined with conventional craft skills lead to exciting outcomes which represent a new kind of aesthetics, but also call for a redefinition of the artist’s role.
Looking for more efficient uses of natural resources, many designers apply the circular model instead of the take-make-consume-dispose mindset. Sustainable and circular design considers the whole environmental impact of a product, from manufacture to final disposal. Designers seek environmentally friendly alternatives to plastics and other synthetic materials with significant carbon footprints. They have developed new sustainable and biodegradable materials, some of which are carbon-negative, as they remove CO2 from the atmosphere. Designers also search for ways to recycle waste by using it in new materials or to minimise waste generation through innovative methods, such as zero-waste pattern cutting in the fashion industry.
The artworks displayed in the exhibition address global concerns by proposing smart solutions, and convincingly show that more sustainable approaches to materials are possible.
The exhibition is accompanied by guided tours, workshops and other events for both adults and children.
Participating artists:
Elize Hiiop, Siim Karro, Lauri Kilusk, Eve Koha, Marta Moorats, Kärt Ojavee, Darja Popolitova, Johanna Ulfsak and Riina Õun
Curator: Karin Vicente
Exhibition designer: Villu Plink
Graphic design: Külli Kaats
