Open call: Talent pressure cooker 2024
The pace of change in our world is drastically increasing with new (bio)technologies, materials, and innovations constantly emerging. In this dynamic environment, the realms of science and art are becoming more intertwined with scientific processes and theories inspire the arts and vice versa. BioArt Laboratories encourages artists, researchers and designers to close the gap between these disciplines and explore new opportunities for research and art. Approach societal and environmental challenges in a fundamentally different way or even develop entirely new perspectives on our world, and show this to the world through our Talent Pressure Cooker program.
This year’s Talent Pressure Cooker theme will be dedicated to the Solanum lycopersicum, commonly known as tomatoes. While the common perception may solely evoke images of the red, shiny fruit, we seem to forget that they have a much richer story, where it went from being ‘the poison apple’ in the 16th century to becoming one of the most cherished fruits in the world. Throughout history and into the present, tomatoes have played a crucial role in society, offering a stable income to many farmworkers thanks to their well-developed heat-resistance capabilities, while offering numerous health benefits partially due to their high lycopene content. Modern tomato varieties, developed through domestication, research, and breeding, now present a wide range of shapes, colours, and sizes.
However, it’s essential to acknowledge the environmental impact of tomato cultivation, as tomatoes are recognized for having one of the largest carbon footprints. Numerous artists and designers are delving into the utilization of tomatoes to pursue the Symbiocene, where humans live harmoniously together with nature. Exploring the potential of biomaterials, they are already experimenting with applications such as different materialities. Research is also being done from different perspectives in other fields, leading to concepts like using the tomato plant as a power source for electronic devices. However, the tomato offers limitless possibilities, and we only find ourselves at the very beginning of a promising journey.
BioArt Laboratories wants to honour this versatile fruit in its broadest context and encourage artists to submit proposals for our Talent Pressure Cooker 2024, where they explore the diverse meanings of tomatoes within the intersection of science and art. Selected participants will receive guidance and access to our hybrid laboratory facilities, as well as honorarium according to the artist honorarium guideline. Additionally, they will have the unique opportunity to showcase their work at a prominent location during the Dutch Design Week from October 19th to 27th.
The Open Call opens on the 15th of March 2024 and ends on the 2nd of April 2024 (23:59). You can send in your application by completing the Application Form and sending it to contact@bioartlab.com.