Phylogenetic Atelier
Education vs indulgence, 2018
Tina Gorjanc (SI)
Is producing ‘fake’ copies of an extinct material an attempt to understand the past, or is it just an excuse to constantly create the desire for rarity? The Phylogenetic Atelier project showcases the work of The Great Passenger Pigeon Comeback project from Revive & Restore, a foundation aiming to enhance biodiversity through new techniques of genetic rescue for endangered and extinct species. By portraying a speculative venue that showcases an intersection of a laboratory, museum and luxury artisan gloves workshop, this exhibit tackles the ethical and philosophical dilemmas of our fascination with producing new replacements for extinct or endangered biological matter.
BIO
Tina Gorjanc is a Slovenian-born designer who has been based in London for the past five years. After obtaining her M.A. in Material Futures at Central Saint Martins, she opened up her own freelance practice, which enabled her to present her work and design beliefs with projects around the globe.
She believes the future of creative fields is absolutely linked to biology, which is why she is fascinated by biotechnology and its potential to shape the future. She is most recognised for work that merges the practices of speculative and critical product design with emerging scientific procedures.