Material Encounters in a Posthuman World

What is trash? It lives in our homes and landfills, lines the bottom of our oceans, and even permeates our seemingly pristine digital landscapes, but beyond the discarded remains of human activity, we see in it a canvas for transformation. Looking past its decrepit state, we seek to highlight the potential of trash for rethinking traditional ideas of permanence.

On Day 1 of Recompose, students from Critical Mediation will focus on innovative propositions for socially and eco-conscious ways to engage with the wasteful industries of packaging, fashion and product design.

How can you participate? Join us in person or online by registering for the Zoom Meeting or watching live on YouTube.

Have questions? Send them to info.4@concordia.ca

Packaging with Waste and Organic Materials (Mae Yamanija Miyagui, Cecilia Gonzalez-Reyes)

We are working with bioplastics, mycelium, paper, and textiles to design a sustainably packaged gift basket. Experimenting with shapes and recipes, we are looking to use the unique properties of every material to determine their best use for packaging. 

Exploring the Potential of Bioplastics (Radhika Patel)

Using digital mixed media to reimagine food packaging with bioplastic elements that minimize plastic waste, meet hygiene standards, and utilize the material characteristics of bioplastics.

Rethinking Design with Mycelium (Helia Gol Mohammadi)

My project explores mycelium as a building material by growing it into four decorative objects, showcasing its potential and highlighting its importance as a sustainable and innovative resource. 

Fallen Wood: Through a Camp Lens (Phoebe Knox Favreau)

Inspired by nature's fallen trees in the woods, this design ethos explores sustainable fashion by blending fallen wood and bioplastics made from sawdust and eco-dyes. Reflecting nature's regenerative life cycle by creating bold, zero-waste designs that embrace circularity, eco-consciousness, and camp aesthetics. 

Materials of Protest: Textile Storytelling in the Textual Space of Social Justice Movements (Mak Ékoué)

Inspired by Montreal’s strong history of public demonstrations and the current political climate leading to a rise in visibility for the Palestinian keffiyeh, this project reflects on the use, reuse and transformation of textiles for fashion activism. 

Waves of Discard (Léa Fournier and Maria Barba)

Waves of Discard is a study of the relentless waves of consumerism that mimics the sea's natural cycles. This artwork explores how our cultural fixation with the "new" burdens not just our society but also the natural world—most painfully, the sea—inspired by the fast-paced online trend cycles where the newest technology is wanted, celebrated, and swiftly forgotten. 

Nature's Lanterns: Faroles in Bioplastic and Bio Ink (Maria Wehdeking)

This project uses bio-ink in a creative application, reimagining the traditional Colombian 'farol' by replacing cellophane with bioplastic, enhancing sustainability and adding durability, allowing these ephemeral moments to last longer.