Textiles just like any other subject is innovative and always improving. In my future materials class, I was really impressed with how many new idea's had been thought of and experimented with. One of my favourite was using bacteria in textiles, I had already touched on this subject slightly in my final major project at college, You might have seen my final exhibition blog post but if not you can find it by clicking here. My project brief was based on science and I briefly looked into some artists and textile designers that had grown textiles with bacteria.
What does bacteria do? How does it work?
Bacteria can be used in textiles in so many different ways. It can be grown, This is what London based artist Suzanna Lee has done, She uses microbial-cellulose which is just lots of bacteria grown using green tea to feed them as it contains all the nutrients they need. She grows this in bathtubs. After a few days/week when the bacteria has grown thick enough, she uses a human form/mannequin to sculpt the bacteria to and lets it dry to the shape of that form, or she can just leave the bacteria on it's own to dry then use the more conventional way of making a pattern out of it and then sewing it. Many people have used bacteria in their textiles and fashion. Contemporary artist Donna Franklin has teamed up with a research lab that started out with the hopes of creating a cyborg with self developing skin and created skin tight dressed created from fermented wine. Artist Anna Dumitriu has created a quilt which was coloured/stained with the MRSA bacteria. You can read more about this by clicking here.
How could it potentially be utilised in the future?
Mixing science and textiles together is creating a whole new world of what ifs? and experiments. Of course bacteria could be utilised more in the future. I'm sure textile artists and scientists are already teaming up and experimenting with creating more textiles from bacteria. I'm not sure myself how it could be utilised in the future but I am excited and intrigued!
References: http://www.biocouture.co.uk
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/artist-dyes-clothes-quilts-tuberculosis-and-staph-bacteria-180949511/?no-ist
How would I utilise it?
I would love to be able to see more patterns made out of bacteria in textile's. I would love to team up with the right research/scientists and create patterned bacterial textiles on a large scale, in a similar seamless way like Suzanne Lee does, But with patterned grown bacteria not just plain colour's. I think that would be the next step to improve. From then on the possibilities are endless.What designers/artists are utilising it at the moment?
Suzanne Lee is the artist I have found to have made the most improvements with growing her own bacteria. Anna Dumitriu is another artist who is also making improvements in this field. I think any one with new ideas and the right connections can do just as both Suzanne Lee and Anna Dumitriu have done and create a whole new world of possibilities for fashion and textiles.
I have really enjoyed researching into bacteria in textiles and would really like to do an experiment of my own including science and textiles, Maybe that is an idea to keep for a big project.
Thank you for reading!
Becca.
References: http://www.biocouture.co.uk
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/artist-dyes-clothes-quilts-tuberculosis-and-staph-bacteria-180949511/?no-ist
No comments
Post a Comment