Design Research

Research set-up project

Carolina Márquez Bernard, Alumna MA 2022, Visual Communication,Ecology & Sustainability

Ecologies of Matter delves into some of the most urgent issues linked to the current ecological crisis and the necessary redefinition of human activity on the planet, by examining the relation between culture and nature concerning climate change. This analysis encompasses inter-species interactions, cultural creations, ecological consciousness, and the complexities faced of artistic, design, and research practices in today’s climate crisis, by fostering inclusive modes of making, thinking, researching, learning, and speculating on a world possibly characterised by coexistence.

One does not have to be a great seer to predict that the relationship between humans and nature will in all probability be the most important question of our current century. The old conception of nature as a background image for human activities has become obsolete, necessitating a nuanced reflection on the multifaceted and lively nature of the environment, pivoting the ecological discourse toward the centrality of coexistence with the environment and other-than-human species. The proposition of post-modern and post-natural theories accentuates a cultural shift in comprehending matter and its materiality differently. By investigating materials and activating various senses and sensibilities, these approaches facilitate the exploration of inter-species connections and foster inclusive modes of thinking, researching, learning, and speculating on a world possibly characterized by coexistence.

For it, this essay underscores the importance of five creative strategies that explore humanity's connections with the intricate systems of the world, deploying art and critical thinking as integral components of global landscape comprehension. The essay navigates the entanglements between art, philosophy, and nature, urging a departure from human exceptionalism towards a recognition of kinship with the living world.