Organisms and insects being able to biodegrade different sorts of synthetic plastics points towards a transformation of our ontological assumption and prompts speculations about different form of hybrid kinships.
In this two day workshop we will begin by looking at the mealworm- who are actually no worms at all but the larvae of a flour beetle. Our specific interest will be to investigate their behavior and how they break down the most widely used plastic, polystyrene (and polyethylene), into carbon molecules.
Polymers are materials constructed with long, repeating chains of molecules. The word itself is often used to describe plastics- which are ‘synthetic polymers’, but also natural polymers exist- such as rubber and wood. In the conclusion of the workshop, we will experiment in the making of our own polymer structures out of organic and regenerative materials to integrate into our own creative practices.
About Facilitator:
Petja Ivanova founded “Studio for Poetic Futures” in Berlin out of frustration with the domination of the scientific method in the field of (computational) art. She works with electronics and organisms to explain which forms poetry can take in media art and art with complex systems.
https://www.poeticfutures.net/