GMU:Sustainable Aesthetics/Betül Peker

• Thoughts About Sustainable Aesthetics

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• +Class Experiments // 25.10.2022 #petridish #PhysarumPolycephalum

Initial Thoughts and Materials Regarding Sustainable Aesthetics

Experiments:

1. Growing Microbial Cellulose

Developing Experimental Sustainable Art Materials and Ways for Art, Design, and Architecture

As the Anthropocene unfolds, artists, designers, and architects must develop new ways to coexist and live a more sustainable lifestyle within harmony. Throughout this project, I aim to explore how experimental materials can positively affect art and design practice and how they can benefit not only the artist or architect but also the environment in which they are implemented. In the end, I am planning to use all my experimental materials for my potential artwork. My artistic interest is to explore the aesthetic potential of microbial cellulose (MB) and to consider its philosophical implications with regard to leaking, and growing. Along the way, this project will help me to improve my DIY cultivating techniques.

1- Growing Microbial Cellulose

- Exploring the potential of dried Scoby as artistic material. - Examining the paperish - leatherish textures

https://www.designboom.com/design/jannis-hulsen-cellulose-fibre-xylinum-stool/

https://www.suedwesttextil.de/fileadmin/editorial-content/dokumente/SwissPopup-Aesthetics_of_Sustainability_christopheGuberan.pdf

+Slime Mold as an Architect // Sustainable Aesthetics // 2022 WiSe Project

File:timelapse-1-.mp4

Mediator: Architecture / Agency: Physarum polycephalum

The results of the Project will contain [Process] Sketches, Video, Photographs, and Model.

For the project, I want to deeply explore the behavior of physarum polycephalum.

As known "slime mold cells prefer to live on upright structures, like trees and plants, and they tend to grow upward until the food is reached. They leave behind a trail of dead cells as they travel. As they grow, they can become very large and move quite quickly to a food source." I want to use slime mold's movement to create an experimental architectural plan and this experimental plan will be my reference point to build a 3D Structure for them. For the 3D structure, transparent material such as Plexiglass or Filament (for 3D Printing) would be an option to observe their movements clearly and record the process. When I build the structure ( relatively enclosed environment) I will place the slime mold as a temporary resident. Also, all processes will be quick and experimental due to contamination reasons. As a first step, I will make experiment with very small plexiglass and also agar cubes to create a sketchy-architectural model.

References

File:werner_2019_.pdf

https://www.wired.com/2010/01/slime-mold-grows-network-just-like-tokyo-rail-system/

https://www.theresaschubert.com/works/somniferous-observatory/

https://www.designboom.com/design/living-screens-slime-mould-iaac-11-01-2017/

https://www.takashikuribayashi.com/works?lightbox=image_2185

https://www.ribaj.com/culture/reseaux-mondes-centre-pompidou-paris-ecologicstudio-slime-mould

Model References;

[1]

[2]