Self-Initiated Project – ‘Exchange Your Props’

The left image presents an exhibition space showcasing the work of Artists in Tramway. The right is the storage room full of exhibition props and waste which usually ends up in landfill. By holding meetings with different exhibition Curators, I immersed myself into these temporary environments that experience a lot of throughput of resources. I found this to be the grey area that is not in the public’s attention.

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By creating insight cards with information gathered from the curators and the field and desk research, I found that showcase props are often used for a shorter amount of time than the initial time which takes to create them. The fast schedules of exhibition spaces make it difficult for Curators to take time to reflect on the finished shows.

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Mapping out the current material journey in Tramway, from the initial dialog which takes place between the Artist and the Curator during planning, right through to the deconstruction of the exhibition and the storing and dispersal of props and resources. Doing this, helped me understand where key opportunities are along with the economic limitations within the current system.

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What if different exhibition spaces and their Curators could be working much closer with each other? Creating a network of exchangeable exhibition props could be an opportunity to make resources and props more visible across the different sectors. In order to explore this further I began developing opportunities in the form of three-dimensional landscapes and exhibition environments. Each environment represents different scenarios within which resources are exchanged, re-purposed or stored.

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A “Virtual” catalogue, allowing the exchange of already built props between different exhibition spaces. Helping Curators access already built props from other exhibition spaces, and so reducing the need to build new ones. Allowing them to plan more effectively, as well as, bringing more awareness by changing the initial dialog between the Curator and the Artist from “We can build this…” to “We can use this…”

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Future Experiences Project – ‘Wove In’

'Wove In' is a waste material system within the Global South that preserves craft skills across generations and communities to produce innovative, sustainably sensitive products of the future. The hands were cast to symbolise the two distinct skills of the Innovators and the Artisans within this system, as each work differently with the waste material.

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The precious craft of basketry within the Global South is woven through generations. It is passed along a continuous thread from mother to daughter in order to protect and preserve the old art form. By dissecting the basket, I wanted to further understand the traditional method and extract the material from which the basket was weaved.

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Returning to insights gathered during our group work along with the valuable sessions conducted with specialists where I found that there is an untapped potential in the capabilities of the crafts people within the Global South.

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A Graphic development of 'Wove In' Logo. Combining elements of different stages, starting from the waste material, then traditional craft of weaving, that are both intertwined into a new form of innovative craft through technological advances. Forming the logo that represents a space for collaboration between two diverse disciplines and generations.

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The ‘Wove In’ system map symbolises the journey of the waste material and intersection between the two disciplines. The system creates an opportunity for the Artisans to continue passing their skills. Their weaving techniques are translated in an innovative way where the end products of such collaboration promote the cultivation of artisanal spirit of preservation, whilst pushing the boundaries of the traditional handcraft.

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Hello! I’m Marta, a graduate of the 2020 BDes Product Design course at Glasgow School of Art.

I’m a huge nature enthusiast! I would consider design as an influential tool that helps to shape us and our world. It’s a space that allows the freedom for creative collisions between different disciplines, improving not only human, but also ecological life through meaningful experiences.

I find myself searching for untapped opportunities, many times, challenging sustainable boundaries and placing emphasis on awareness of problems that are sometimes quite hard to notice. I’m always excited about not knowing where I will end up in my process. I like to treat it as a strategy that is full of hands-on experiments, some failures, but more importantly, reflection and learning.