Matter in Motion

20 Jul

Natural Material Studio

A material is never merely reducible to matter. Each surface, including those subjected to extensive industrial processing, originates from a distinct set of conditions: encompassing a specific geology, climate, labour history, and a unique system of extraction or cultivation particular to a specific location. Recent advancements in material culture studies and design research advocate for the understanding of materials not as neutral inputs but as vessels of this specificity. Designed objects retain a traceable connection to the territories that produced them, irrespective of whether this connection is consciously acknowledged. Such an understanding highlights the cultural and ecological relationships that ought to inform responsible design practices.

Natural Material Studio, a Copenhagen-based research practice founded by Bonnie Hvillum in 2018, has prioritised this inquiry from its inception. The studio focuses on developing biomaterials derived from plant fibres, agricultural residues, and organic pigments, while examining how these materials behave, evolve, and retain evidence of their origins. Consequently, the studio produces both tangible objects and theoretical knowledge.

The studio conceptualises materials as dynamic processes. Their behavior is contingent upon conditions that do not repeat: such as humidity and temperature during casting, the composition of the residues utilised, and the specific light and air characteristics of their surrounding environments. For instance, a binder will set differently depending on the moisture present, and a pigment sourced from agricultural byproducts will reflect the conditions under which it was harvested. Thus, the same recipe employed multiple times will not yield identical material, serving as evidence that the material continues to engage with its environment.

While there are ecological reasons underpinning this approach, it is not the sole consideration. A material characterised by variability necessitates attentive care from its users, rather than an expectation of permanence. This perspective fosters a redefined understanding of an object and its relationship to its origin. Moreover, it raises inquiries that are often neglected in design discourse, such as whether durability is an absolute necessity and whether the conclusion of an object's life can be perceived as a return rather than a dilemma. These are choices that can be reconsidered, rather than rigid rules.

Through The Material Way, a collaborative platform co-founded by Hvillum and curator Rita Trindade, this research is transformed into a collective endeavor rather than a solitary assertion: materials are never neutral. They originate from specific locales and are destined for others, and the responsibility of design lies in acknowledging the complexities inherent in the interplay between these two points. This underscores our shared obligation in shaping ecological and cultural futures.

Read the full article in the digital edition: Curatorial Issue 01: Beyond Territory