Nobel Textiles, exhibited at the ICA, 14-21st of September 2008, 12pm to 7pm everyday.

Nobel Textiles is the result of a two year-long collaboration between Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design and the Medical Research Council which paired 5 Nobel Prize winning scientists with 5 designers. The results of this innovative project will be showcased for the first time in Saint James’s Park, and the ICA, from September 14th through 18th, 2008 with design collections and site specific installations inspired by the discoveries of the Nobel Laureates.

Science and design both play a role in redefining our relationships with each other and the world around us. This exhibition explores creative overlaps in science and design evoking new meaning and enriching culture.

The project pioneers: Amanda Fisher (MRC) and Carole Collet (CSM) explain: “Designers fundamentally shape the way we live, while science pervades the very fabric of our lives. Nobel Textiles involves a journey into the interface between science and design, a dialogue between leading researchers in both fields.

_Brona McVittie, Communication officer, Epigenome Europe

Self Assembly:

Philippa Brock has created a series of large jacquard woven pieces based on Aaron’s research, which involves creating 3-dimensional models of viruses from 2-dimensional information. Philippa is exploring methods of transforming 2-dimensional weaving approaches into 3-dimensional models – creating self-folding/forming experimental textile pieces.

Philippa is a Textile Designer and Researcher who utilises CAD/CAM Woven jacquard technologies. Her work involves a variety of approaches, including designing textiles for international clients. Her research work involves developing innovative woven textile fabrics which explore the industrial power loom manufacturing method, developing 'on loom' finishing processes through yarn and structure interaction, requiring minimal 'off loom' finishing. Her current research is in the smart textile field, producing a range of aesthetic and functioning woven conductive fabrics which act as actuators and switches, including touch, mechanical stretch and galvanic skin response sensors. She also runs the Woven Textiles Department at Central Saint Martins

Aaron is a pioneer in the field of molecular structure elucidation, for which he was awarded a Nobel prize in 1982 for describing the crystal structures of protein-nucleic acid complexes. In addition to chromatin - the hereditary complex of DNA and protein in our chromosomes – he also determined the structure of tobacco mosaic viruses and zinc-finger proteins, important genetic regulators. Aaron is based at the MRC Laboratory for Molecular Biology in Cambridge

The Fat Map Collection:

The Fat Map collection explores how the patterns of clothing change as garments are altered for different bodies. Shelley has monitored changes in the internal and external body fat of six volunteers who undertook a controlled exercise and dietary regime. Using an MRI scanner, the volunteers have been scanned before; during and after the regime and their “fat maps” form the basis of the collection.

Shelley questions both technical and conceptual conventions in a bid to redefine how clothes are worn. Her use of unorthodox pattern cuts and materials such as scorched felted wool, using Braille markings and Morse code, have earned her a string of illustrious prizes. Motivated by an interest in humanity and social interactions, her distinctive style results from a training in both fashion and textiles. (www.shelleyfox.com)

Sir Peter has made an enormous contribution to medicine through his work on medical resonance imaging (MRI) techniques, for which he won a Nobel Prize in 2003. MRI has replaced many invasive diagnostic methods. Drawn to science by an interest in rocketry, he later built a portable spectrometer to measure the Earth’s magnetic field. Upon realising the potential for analysing the human body, he sought MRC support to build a whole-body MRI machine (Nottingham University)

Now you see it, now you don't

Rachel’s work is inspired by the appearance and disappearance of cyclin, which occurs throughout the life of every cell. When Tim explained his discovery he used the phrase ‘Now you see it, now you don’t’ and the analogy of a light switching on in a dark room, which gave Rachel a visual hook. She references Tim’s discovery using imagery from sea urchins in her drawings and prints. In addition to transparent wallpapers with hidden patterns revealed in different light conditions, she will etch directly onto the glass of the exhibition greenhouses. Her designs are circular, mirroring the cycles through which our cells revolve.

Rachel designs interactive wallpaper. The resurgence in popularity of statement wallpaper has transformed it from unwanted woodchip to a piece of art in its own right. Her vision of interactivity involves customers in the design process to create innovative bespoke wall coverings from silk screen prints and colourful stickers. Rachel is a Key Associate Lecturer at Central Saint Martins College (www.interactivewallpaper.co.uk).

Tim’s journey into the secret life of sea urchin eggs revealed a host of suddenly-disappearing proteins. Later found in many other organisms, so-called cyclins control whether and when cells divide, their malfunction posing a risk of cancer. For this research he was awarded a Nobel prize in 2001. Tim continues his work at the Cell Cycle Control Laboratory in London.

Metabolic Media:

Metabolic Media is a system of modular textile architecture for urban food production. Using a construction system based on weaving and lace-making. Rachel Wingfield is creating textiles on an architectural scale from new composite materials that reflect the relationship between energy and structure, mirroring ATP, which stores and releases energy. Rachel is using energy harvesting technologies including dye-senistised solar cells, and compostable ‘seed’ cultery which challenge the way we look at energy and food production in an urban environment.

Rachel designs, researches and fabricates environmentally responsive textiles like luminous bedding, light reactive window blinds and electronic wallpaper. Her textiles articulate a natural ecology, evoking a living botanical material. The premise of her work is to provide a more intuitive understanding of our natural environment - mediating between craft, technology and nature. (www.loop.ph, www.textilefutures.co.uk)

John has been instrumental in improving our understanding of biological energy conversion in living cells. Awarded a Nobel Prize in 1997 for his work describing how enzymes make ATP (the Molecule adenosine triphosphate), he has outlined one of the most important biological systems known to man. Every day we convert around one-half our body weight in ATP. The constant cycling of this molecule drives everything from decomposition to muscle contraction in anything from bacteria to crocodiles.

Suicidal Textiles:

The design concept is inspired by the process of programmed cell death; deliberate cell suicide, which enables organs and limbs to develop. This process is crucial to the shape and function of every organism. Carole chose to echo this principle in her collection of garden furniture and textiles that will evolve with time; the final forms only to be revealed at the end of the ‘apoptosis’ process. Using biodegradable (natural) and durable (synthetic) materials. Portions of the furniture and textiles will slowly biodegrade to reveal different final forms. The process of biodegradation will also support C. elegans, which feeds on the bacteria that live in soil and compost.

Carole is pioneering textile inventions for the domestic market. As Course Director of the MA in Textile Futures at Central Saint Martins, she inspires future generations of designers by mapping out ways to redefine our intimate and emotional relationships within ‘smart homes’ using intelligent textiles and sustainable design. As a designer and consultant, she specialises in textile print, R&D, sustainable and smart textiles (www.textilefutures.co.uk , www.carolecollet.com).

John identified the first mutation in a gene that participates in the deliberate suicide of unwanted cells in multi-cellular animals, for which he was awarded a Nobel Prize in 2002 (with Sydney Brenner). Both scientists worked on the roundworm, C.elegans. Programmed cell death plays an important role in development and protection from diseases like cancer.