-Symposium 9-10 Dezember 2015
-Ausstellung 9.Dez2015 - 10.Jan 2016
Short describtion:
The 21st century is regarded as the century of biology. Biotechnological and bio-inspired innovations are radically changing both today's production systems and our everyday life. Under mild milieu conditions, microorganisms and enzymes are producing in a highly specific way those things, for which in the past a chemical production under extreme conditions was not infrequently required. Bionics prove that the solutions created in the course of evolution are commonly superior to those produced as a result of conventional technologies, while demonstrating paths that enable this knowledge to be made use of. At the same time, however, biology itself is undergoing change. Genetic engineering, synthetic biology and biosphere research provide an effective further development of organisms to add to the principles of biological evolution. The borders of biology and technology are becoming increasingly blurred, while at the same time uncertainty over the future development is on the rise.
The intention of the "Prototype Nature" symposium is to present, discuss and reflect on this diversity of interactions between biology and technology. Humanities scholars, natural and technology scientists, designers and artists are presenting their very different approaches and perspectives to this development, showing both where they complement each other in the sense of an interdisciplinary science and where they contradict each other. Furthermore, Prototype Nature is also intended to encourage a critical discourse, focusing on the opportunities and risks associated with this emphasis on biology and the experimentation on the basic principles of life.
As part of the symposium, Christine Kanstinger, the daughter of Frei Otto, is presenting her father's nature-inspired life work. See the page in Glass is more!>
Doreen Westphal (Fungi Futuri) and Antoni Gandia are showing how to grow mushrooms and the innovative ways they can be used today. Julia Krayer (Fraunhofer UMSICHT; Folkwang University of the Arts) will extract a versatile material similar to leather from tea cream – a waste product created in the manufacture of kombucha. Jan Bunse and Rolf Morgenstern (Die Urbanisten / Hei-tro GMBH) will prove that it is possible to operate an aquaponics system, a coupled system consisting of fish and plants, in a stable manner, thus enabling a wide range of ecosystem services. Matthias Dünne (OHB Space Systems) will present information on the use of completely self-sufficient biospheres for astronautics and environmental toxicology. Wolfgang Sachs (Sachs Engineering) will demonstrate how nature is becoming the idea provider for robust technical components. Jan Jacob Borstlap (Bernotat & CO) will show what design can learn from the structure of forms in nature. Von Rüdiger Trojok we will learn how it is also possible to manufacture genetically modified organisms at home.
In the accompanying exhibition, a large number of the lecturers' exhibits will be on display, while the Dutch artist Ronald van der Meijs is subtly presenting the organismal aspect of technology in his large sculptures.
See program>
Venue:
SANAA-Gebäude
Folkwang Universität der Künste | SANAA-Gebäude
Gelsenkirchener Str. 209
45309 Essen< germany
More information:
FOLKWANG UNIVERSITÄT DER KÜNSTE
Fachbereich 4 I Gestaltung
Campus Universität Duisburg-Essen
Universitätsstr. 12 I D-45141 Essen I Büro R12 V01 D05
Mob. + 49 163 607 5820
