A new exhibit challenges the notion of materials as inert, commodified objects and instead reimagines them as dynamic participants in cultural, ecological, and technological processes.
The Craft Company Museum in Los Angeles is hosting Material Acts: Experimentation in Architecture and Design bringing together over 20 contemporary designers, architects, and artists, exploring the ongoing life cycles of materials—from extraction to their eventual transformation in architectural spaces. The exhibition considers materials not only as elements of construction but as systems and processes shaped by human actions and environmental interactions.
Curated by Kate Yeh Chiu and Jia Yi Gu, the exhibition is organized around five key themes: Animating, Disassembling, Feeding, Re-fusing, and Stitching. Each theme showcases innovative approaches to material experimentation, including 3D-printed adobe, bioregional materials, and environment-reactive metals. This rethinking of material use highlights designers’ responses to climate change and global sustainability challenges.
A highlight of the exhibition is the community-sourced Materials Library, a hands-on space where visitors can engage with material samples, experiments, and processes. From SCOBY (that’s Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) and skins to biocalcified foam, the library offers a tangible exploration of material processes and their potential to shape our environment.
The exhibition also includes special programs, such as a symposium and curator-led walkthroughs, providing deeper insights into the cutting-edge material technologies on display.
Supported by The Getty Foundation and other partners, Material Acts is part of the larger Pacific Standard Time series featuring over 70 exhibitions exploring the intersections of art and science.
LOCATION: 5814 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles
ADMISSION: $9 for adults; $7 for students, teachers, seniors; free for Craft Contemporary members; FREE admission every Sunday
DATE: Sept. 28 through Jan. 5, 2025,
HOURS: Tuesday - Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm
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