Subtle Technologies 2011

In June, I'll be presenting a talk/demo about Ferrofabric at Subtle Technologies:

"Subtle Technologies is a gathering of artists, scientists, technologists, engineers and the general public. We share cross-disciplinary ideas, explore new technologies, showcase creativity and incubate the next generation of practitioners at the intersection of art, science and technology. 2011 marks the 14th year of our festival and organization."

Subtle Technologies 2011 will be held in Toronto from May 28 - June 5, and tickets are on sale now. The lineup includes so many exciting projects. The Synaesthesia Cultivation Awareness Machine (SCAM) "removes the genetic barriers that may prevent aspiring synaesthetes from smelling colours." Their method is based on "electrical pulses, which harmlessly divert neural signals to different areas of the brain, creating a synthetic synaesthetic experience." I'm also especially looking forward to fellow MATF grad Stephanie Philips' DIY Bioplastics Workshop!

Ferrofabric at Subtle Technologies, Symposium Day 3
When Crafting Leads to Hacking: Magnetism as material
Innis Town Hall
Toronto
June 5, 2011, 2:00 pm
http://www.subtletechnologies.com/festival/schedule/presentation?p_id=9



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Ferrofabric for Claudia Ligari

Claudia Ligari A/W 2011

A few days before leaving London in November, I had a meeting with the fashion designer Claudia Ligari (watch her i-D interview here). She showed me pieces from her previous collection. I was floored. Her mix of craftsmanship with irreverence is something special. Lucky for me, her irreverence for rules translated into being intrigued by using Ferrofabric.

Claudia Ligari's A/W 2011 collection (full collection here), incorporating custom-made Ferrofabric material, debuted at Blow last week, and has been catching all kinds of attention. Innovation is everywhere in this collection! The cut-out wool jacket is a work of art, and seems to mark a new direction for her. I also love the perspective-dependent garments that have become something of a signature for her.

I also want to note that it was incredibly inspiring to work with Claudia. My materials are experimental by nature. It is hard to make promises because I am the the process of figuring out how the materials work, and yet collaborations are what inform the process. A sense of adventure is required, and it's very present both in Claudia and in Natasha Case of Coolhaus (my other collaborator at the moment). Keep an eye out for future collaborations between us.

www.claudialigari.com

Floppy Portrait

A recent experiment in my magnetic materials lab: a floppy drawing. That's meant to be Melissa French on the left and Amelie Labarthe on the right. Their friendly visages are stuck to the magnetic wall in my kitchen, lending encouraging smiles to cooking adventures.

The drawing is based on a picture that I took of them in a coffe bar in Milan. Let's hope we're as happy again at this year's Saloni del Mobile.

Textiles in da (ware)house!

On 12–13 September 2009, the Science Museum at Wroughton will be holding a Festival of Innovation, when part of the stored collections will be open to the public, supported by a wide range of events on site. Jenny's Ferrofabric and other magnetic stuff will be present.

The Science Museum took ownership of the 545-acre (2.21 km²) former RAF Wroughton airfield in 1979, to be used as a storage facility for the largest objects of the Science Museum. A collection of approximately 20,000 objects are currently kept in six of the hangers, from the first hovercraft to MRI scanners, and computers to (de-activated) nuclear missiles. The Science Museum at Wroughton is currently a museum store serving the conservation, object storage, and transportation needs of the Science Museum, and is not open to the public except during occasional Open Days or on monthly pre-booked group guided tours during the summer.

The site is also home to the Science Museum Library and Archives, which are open to the public by appointment.