Department of Seaweed: Living Archive | Nature–Design Triennial
Channel: Cooper Hewitt
Date: 2019-07-02

Julia Lohmann founded the Department of Seaweed in 2013, which brings together experts in design, science, and craft to experiment with the fabrication processes and material properties of seaweed. For the mask and sculpture, Lohmann stretched seaweed and combined it with rattan and aluminum rings for structural support. The woven textile and knit top by designer Violaine Buet demonstrate knitting and fringe techniques on sugar kelp. The process samples on the table show further experiments with seaweed such as lamination, pleating, gold-plating, laser cutting, dying, or embroidery, as well as combinations of seaweed with mohair, cotton thread or lurex yarn. The Department of Seaweed elevates the humble material to reshape our thinking about its possibilities.

On view in "Nature–Cooper Hewitt Design Triennial" through January 2020.

This video is audio described to make it more accessible.

All courtesy of Julia Lohmann, Violaine Buet, and Jon Lister

Julia Lohmann (German, born 1977), Violaine Buet (French, born 1977), and Jon Lister (New Zealander, born 1977)