Design Academy Expo at TextielMuseum

February 3rd – March 8th 2018

The textile industry is the second most polluting industry in the world. In the minor Reframing Textiles 2017-2018, 3rd year students of the Design Academy Eindhoven looked at textiles through the lens of the Anthropocene, the epoch from which the significant human impact on climate and atmosphere has started. We are forced to reinvent our methods of production, consumption, recycling and use, as well as our aesthetics. What are the responsibilities and opportunities for the designer in this context?

Bridging research, experiment, debate and design, students were introduced to a wide spectrum of techniques and materials, both traditional and new. In collaboration with the TextielMuseum prototypes were developed at the TextielLab, giving the students the opportunity to work with industrial machines and their experienced product developers.

During the semester the students worked within several themes: Earth Matters, inspired by the eponymous TextielMuseum exhibition; and Local Systems / Local Machines in which the students went from a focus on materials to machines and systems, that have both become part of the world of textiles. For this exhibition a selection has been made of projects developed in the TextielLab and other works produced this semester.

The TextielMuseum gives high priority to talent development. Therefore, it collaborates with several schools on a structural base and yearly offers 6 individual students a special graduation program. Together with the Design Academy Eindhoven a minor has been introduced in which students work at the TextielLab.

Photos William van der Voort