Four Artists Exploring Sustainable Alternatives to Synthetic Art Supplies
In “Source Materials: A Bioart Exhibit,” artists share their visions for a future of art-making rooted in local ecosystems, scientific inquiry, and collaboration.
The climate emergency and recent natural disasters have highlighted the urgent need for immediate, systemic action to reduce humans' impact on the environment. Many artists, influenced by environmental advocacy, are turning to sustainable alternatives to traditional synthetic art supplies.
At Genspace, a community biology lab in Brooklyn, a group of artists is experimenting with renewable, biodegradable art materials as a viable alternative to the environmentally harmful synthetic options commonly found in art stores. For three days during Climate Week at Flux IV in Queens, the artists from Genspace's Biomaterials Studio presented a show titled "Source Material: Genspace Biomaterials Studio BioArt Exhibit."
These artists explored the potential of natural pigments, algae yarn, and alternative clays, recognizing that these substitutions don't have to be direct replacements for synthetic materials. Instead, they can lead to new creative challenges and alter our perceptions of art objects and processes more broadly.
Becca Rodriguez, one of the featured artists, is particularly interested in natural pigments. Working with Genspace, she created "Puddle Pigments" using mugwort, mulberry, and serviceberry pigments on paper, water samples, test tubes, and video.
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