Lauren Bowker Talk

“Make something that other people haven’t done before” (Artist quote)

Pollution Absorbant Cadawar

This talk emphasized the success of crossing into other disciplines: Bowker used her artistic creativity alongside scientific experimentation to develop thermal chromatic dyes which she applies to textiles and installations. These are both aesthetically beautiful and useful, with the potential to improve health care and save lives. For instance, a jacket which reacts to air pollution by changing colour or garment that changes visually after detecting symptoms of a medical condition. Bowker is inspired by the cycle of life, how it can be controlled and revealed, and strives to create work that ‘Visualises the Invisible’.

I love how the pieces take on lives of their own and are not fixed in appearance, such as colour changing feathers in the PHNX project. The video is effective due to the use of light and shadow to reveal and conceal the work. I was captivated by the mysterious forms emerging from the darkness and the magical transformation of colours shown as close-up details.

PHNX - Colour Change project