Contemporary Approaches to Materials in Craft and Design

Two MADE IN Platform seminars under the shared title "Contemporary Approaches to Materials in Craft and Design" will present six local practices and research-based projects focused on natural materials and innovative uses of available resources. The presentations will highlight contemporary approaches that assign new roles to materials such as jute, mycelium, natural dyes and organic waste in craft and design, while also emphasising ecological regeneration and sustainable production methods.

All the presentations will include an opportunity to view material samples and/or products.

First seminar: 12:40 - 14:00

12:40 - 13:00 Maks Merela, Archaeological Wood from the Ljubljana Barje

13:00 - 13:30 Ana Laura Richter and Eva Garibaldi, Swamp_Matter

13:30 - 14:00 Andreja Lovreković and Ela Meseldžić, Designer Gatherer

14:00 - 14:15 Coffee break

Second seminar: 14:15 - 16:00

14:15–14:45 Julija Karas, Jute Translations

14:45–15:15 Uroš Topić and Maruša Ramšak, Colours to dye for

15:15–15:45 Davor Kržišnik, Mycocomposites: Growing the Future of Sustainable Materials

Nej Bizjak and Hana Klincov, Mycosurf

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Detailed programme:

FIRST SEMINAR

• 12:40 – 13:00, MAKS MERELA: ARCHEOLOGICAL WOOD FROM THE LJUBLJANA BARJE

This presentation will take the audience into the world of archaeological wood from the Ljubljana Barje, which, like a time capsule, preserves details of the lives of the pile dwellers. We will explore the particularities and challenges of studying waterlogged archaeological wood.

BIO: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Maks Merela, Vice Dean for the field of wood science at the Department of Wood Science, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, is the author of over 80 original scientific papers. His research connects wood science, cultural heritage, archaeology, and the natural sciences.

• 13:00 – 13:30, ANA LAURA RICHTER and EVA GARIBALDI, SWAMP_MATTER

Interdisciplinary artists and researchers Eva Garibaldi and Ana Laura Richter, working together as the duo Swamp_Matter, will present three research-based conceptual projects, including their findings and material experiments.

BIO: Duo Swamp_Matter has been active since 2022, focusing on ecological themes such as climate change and the impact of the Anthropocene on ecosystems. Their work includes spatial installations and digital media, often interwoven with speculative fiction.

13:30 – 14:00, ANDREJA LOVREKOVIĆ and ELA MESELDŽIĆ, DESIGNER GATHERER
The project authors will talk about their research into traditional crafts in northern Croatia – primarily the processing of reeds and other natural raw materials – and how they applied their findings to the design of new biocomposite materials.

BIO: Andreja Lovreković and Ela Meseldžić are members of the DISKO collective in Zagreb, working on design-research projects that value local contexts and create innovative contemporary narratives.

14:00 – 14:15 Coffee break

SECOND SEMINAR

14:15 – 14:45, JULIJA KARAS, JUTE TRANSLATIONS
Material designer Julija Karas will talk about how she developed biomaterials from discarded jute. Her project shows that even seemingly useless waste can be repurposed for a wide range of applications, either by being redesigned into a product for a new purpose or as a raw material for further use in other production processes.

BIO: Industrial designer Julija Karas works at the intersection of design, biomaterials, and experimental practice, exploring pathways towards regenerative design.

14:45 – 15:15, UROŠ TOPIĆ and MARUŠA RAMŠAK, COLOURS TO DYE FOR
Textile and fashion designer Uroš Topić and biomedical scientist Dr. Maruša Ramšak will share the outcomes of their research into the use of natural dye with textiles, which was developed in a collaboration between the Green and Textile Labs at Center Rog.

BIO: Uroš Topić, fashion and textile designer, leads the Textile Lab at Center Rog, combining traditional techniques with contemporary technologies. Maruša Ramšak, scientist and head of the Green Lab at Center Rog, holds a PhD in biomedicine and develops projects with a focus on biomaterials and circular design.

15:15 – 15:45, DAVOR KRŽIŠNIK, MYCOCOMPOSITES: GROWING THE FUTURE OF SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS AND NEJ BIZJAK, MYCOSURF
Davor Kržišnik will present his work on mycelium as a material of the future, focusing on its potential for use in sustainable design and architecture. Nej Bizjak will then talk about the Mycosurf project, one of the first sustainable solutions for environmentally friendly surfboard production.

BIO: Asst. Prof. Dr. Davor Kržišnik, from the Department of Wood Science, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, researches the connections between fungi, wood, and sustainable design, seeking solutions that link people, the environment, and innovation.

BIO: Nej Bizjak, a master’s student in biotechnology, develops protocols for producing high-quality fungal materials. Hana Klincov, a master’s student in industrial design, researches sustainable approaches in the surf industry.

This event is part of the MADE IN: Future Legacies platform and is intended for anyone interested in connecting craft, design, science, and sustainable practices.