Biomaterials have the potential to contribute to climate change
adaptation and mitigation, as well as to increase the catalogue of
materials available to artists and architects. In this
cross-disciplinary discussion, Heather Komus will discuss the work of
contemporary artists with microbiology, tissue engineering and 3D
bioprinting. Dr. Mercedes Garcia Holguera will share the work of her
research group with mycelium and bacterial cellulose at the BIOM_Lab at
the University of Manitoba.
Heather Komus is a multidisciplinary artist based in Treaty 1
territory working in craft, sculpture and installation. Drawing upon a
deep interest in science, she investigates our relationship to the
natural world with a wide variety of materials including embroidered
fibres, animal matter and found objects. Travel greatly informs her work
and she has participated in residencies in Quebec, Newfoundland, Nova
Scotia and Manitoba, and in the MAWA residency exchange program in
Florida.
Dr. Mercedes Garcia Holguera worked at leading architecture firms in Canada, Mexico and Chile before joining the Department of Architecture at the University of Manitoba. Her research bridges across disciplines with a focus on biomimetic design and biomaterials. In 2021, she founded the BIOM_Lab to increase access to local, high-performance biomaterials for northern and remote communities.
