Textiles Futures Research Group: What Future for Living Textiles?
£10 / £8 Concessions / £6 ICA Members per afternoon/evening session.
Textile designers are uniquely placed to inhabit other design fields and cohabit with the world of science. In recent years the potential of nano- and bio- technology has caught the imagination of a new generation of textile makers, particularly in the fields of fashion and architecture.
Unimaginable materials are being developed: grow-into clothing; fabric to be sprayed from a can onto surface and body; fabric to mimic responsive behaviours found in nature. Even the body's own skin is being explored as an interface for evolving, almost invisible, technology. Design of tangible and tactile intelligent surfaces is beginning to evolve in product form, for the body and in the built environment.
Textile design and production have played a pivotal role in economic, social, educational and cultural development worldwide. World changes in economic power and cultural values demand a reshaping of the design, production and uses of textiles. Designers, makers and academics need to develop new research relationships and methods to realise the potential of textiles' aesthetics, production, function, application and cultural capital. The science is here and the Textile Futures Research Group, University of the Arts London, is keen to interrogate. How much is our discipline changing and are we as designers and consumers ready for the next material revolution?
Thursday: 'Living Textiles' and the body.
Afternoon Session 2.30pm
Introduction: Carole Collet.
Oron Catts presentation
Suzanne Lee presentation
Philips Design presentation / in conversation with Carole Collet and Suzanne Lee + audience questions
Break
Manel Torres presentation
Neil Parry presentation / in conversation with Philip Delamore + Manel Torres + audience questions
Evening Session 6.30pm
Question time: Suzanne Lee, Clive Heerden, Manel Torres, Philip Delamore, Richard Bonser + Neil Parry. Chair: Carole Collet
Friday: 'Living Textiles' and the built environment.
Afternoon Session 2.30pm
Introduction: Geoffrey Makstutis
Mark Gaulthorpe presentation
Mette Ramsgard presentation / in conversation with Geoffrey Makstutis + Mark Gaulthorpe + audience questions
Break
Carole Collet presentation
Richard Bonser presentation / in conversation with Neil Spiller + Carole Collet + audience questions
Caryn Simonson & Andrew Sides TFRG Second Life presentation
Evening Session 6.30pm
Question time: Mark Goulthorpe, Geoffrey Makstutis, Matthew Birchall, Mette Ramsgard, Richard Bonser + Neil Spiller. Chair: Jane Harris.
Participants
Oron Catts, director of tissue culture and art, symbiotica, School of Anatomy and Human Biology, University of Western Australia; Suzanne Lee, senior research fellow at Central Saint Martins, director of Biocouture and author of Fashioning the Future; Clive van Heerden, senior director of design-led innovation at Philips Design; Dr Neil Parry, science area leader, Biotechnology, Unilever Research, UK; Manel Torres, co-founder and managing director of Fabrican Ltd and associate to TFRG; Richard Bonser, Centre for Biomimetics, Reading University; Philip Delamore, research fellow in textile and fashion science, London College of Fashion and TFRG. Chair: Jane Harris, director of the Textile Futures Research Group; Mark Goulthorpe, professor of architecture, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, director of dECOi atelier and Hyposurface; Mette Ramsgard, director of the Centre for Interactive Technology in Architecture, Royal Academy, Copenhagen; Geoffrey Makstutis, director of art, design and environment, Central Saint Martins and TFRG; Neil Spiller, professor of architecture and digital theory, Bartlett, University College London; Matthew Birchall, associate director of building engineering structures for Buro Happold; Carole Collet, research fellow, director of MA design for Textile Futures and Nobel Textiles, project manager, CSM and TFRG; Caryn Simonson, senior lecturer in cultural studies for textiles, Chelsea College of Art and Design, and Andrew Sides, senior lecturer, art, design and environment at Central Saint Martins.
Sponsored by Unilever.
For sold out sessions please call the Box Office on 020 7930 3647 tp enquire about returns.