Statement



		I work on the intersection of art, design, craft, technology and science. The indeterminate but fertile space in-between these traditionally defined practices and cultures; the potential for synergies between these diverse disciplines is what fascinates me. This provides the general framework for my work - it intrigues, informs and shapes both my research and my creative practice. Within this context my research-led practice reflects on and utilises the current developments in material science and technologies. It considers their possible applications within design and art contexts to define and create new experiences, sensory environments and interactive artworks encouraging and exploring interactions between people, objects and spaces. It offers not only a comment about the certain developments in science and technologies but it also explores the possibilities the technology offers, giving visual, material and conceptual form to these changes. My research-led practice takes place both in an artist's studio and in scientific laboratory. Based on these experiences my work also attempts to question the strict boundaries between the notions of the 'scientific' and the 'artistic', and explores the concepts of 'truth', 'objectivity' and 'subjectivity' within each of these cultures. By doing so my work contributes to cross-disciplinary activities in science, art and design and examines how such a cross-fertilisation of ideas, concepts and methods might influence the cultural environment and subsequently - the lives we live. Coming from a textile background and working preferably but not exclusively with fibres, cloth and various membrane structures, I amplify their strengths with all the means at my disposal, appealing to colours, textures, construction, large-scale screen-printing dimensions, sculptural forms, text, photographic images, smart materials and use of integrated microelectronics. In order to create new readings and meanings I combine traditional textile processes and materials with technically highly advanced industrial or high-tech materials and methods. I am interested in exploring ways in which (new) technologies can be used in poetic and imaginative ways. My early practice-led research work dealt with issues surrounding human skin focusing on the epidermis as a 'naturally intelligent material' on the premise that it can serve as a model and metaphor for new design solutions . Aiming to translate 'skin technology' into my textile practice for creating responsive textile surfaces which behave, look or feel like skin, it examined its aesthetic and functional potential for translation into active textile systems and was an attempt to bridge the gap between aesthetics and technology. Since then the semiotics and the 'technology' of the skin is a reoccurring theme in my practice. My latest large-scale research work focused on the speculative arena of electrostatic and its possible readings in relation to human interactions within physical space in order to advance the design knowledge of interactive environments. It studied the possible translations of electrostatic energy into other types of energy such as light and sound using specially engineered sensory membrane systems as mediators and displays for these processes. By doing so the project also advanced the potential for technology - particularly within the context of intelligent textiles - which allows us to interact with the omnipresent but hidden electrostatic forces. My current investigations are concerned with two things: our biological senses and man-made architectural spaces, both separately and in relation to each other. Issues regarding biological senses such as vision, smell, sound and touch in particular, and our perception of these senses is an ongoing enquiry in my creative practice. This is combined with my other interest in the organisation of space on macro and micro levels in relation to the human body. The intention is to address people's sensory needs and emotions by intelligently using creative approaches and methods in order to improve our environments.